Ba Ka Ib
by Christie Redfield
Summary: Co-Authored with David Wesker. Post Age Before Beauty. Two ancient jars make a reappearance, accompanied by an even more sinister artifact. Sequel to "Matters of the Heart". Pairings: Pete/Myka AKA Pyka, Mulder/Scully.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Warehouse 13 is © SyFy and the show's creator(s). The X-Files is © Chris Carter, the show's creator. No copyright infringement is intended whatsoever nor is any profit being made from this fanfic; i.e. it is purely non-profit.

Claimer: The only thing David or myself own is this story, nothing more nothing less.

Spoilers: Seasons 8 & 9 of The X-Files, and Season 1 of Warehouse 13, up until Age Before Beauty.

Feedback: Love it, live for it, cherish it.

Category: Supernatural/Romance

Rating: T

Summary: Co-Authored with David Wesker. Post Age Before Beauty. Two ancient jars make a reappearance, accompanied by an even more sinister artifact. Sequel to "Matters of the Heart".

Author(s) Notes: Beta read by "odakota rose" AKA "between the waves".

Ba Ka Ib

By Christie Redfield & David Wesker

**Washington D.C.**

**F.B.I. Headquarters**

**6:30 AM**

Special Agent Dana Scully shook her head as she stepped inside the small, cramped corner office of the J. Edgar Hoover building's Basement. In one corner on an old black leather couch, the shape of a man could be made out, suit jacket bunched up under his head as a makeshift pillow, his lanky frame stretched across the couch.

With a practiced ease and grace Scully walked over to the larger of two desks that had been placed in the room, and sat down. She placed a Styrofoam tray that held two extra large cups of steaming coffee atop the surface. Reaching into her pocket she withdrew a desk key which she used to unlock one of the desk drawers, into which she placed her badge and her weapon.

Mulder stirred as he heard a noise, a few empty sunflower seed shells slid off his chest and onto the floor. Rubbing his eyes he faced the noise and then smiled.

"Hey Scully,"

"How long have you been here, the entire night?" she asked. Scully leaned back in the chair, looking up she spied several number 2 pencils lodged in the stucco ceiling.

"You've been here all night," she surmised. Scully glanced back in her partner's direction, "This isn't going to become a regular thing with you again is it?"

"What, exactly?"

"Sleeping in the office- I know our relationship is one already considered highly unorthodox, but this can't be healthy, you know it and I know it."

Smiling, Mulder faked a rather poor German accent, "Are you a psychoanalyst now?"

"Not technically but with my medical background, I'm more than qualified," she smirked at him. "Seriously Mulder, what's bothering you?" She asked him, her tone turning earnest.

"This," Mulder tapped on a manila file folder that rested atop the desk. "It bears similarities to an X-File that John and Monica investigated almost a year ago."

Scully flipped open the file folder, perusing the information within.

"Two victims, one deceased, one living." Scully frowned, "It says here that the first woman passed away in a coma. Her heart was extracted, but no visible cuts, marks, or gashes could be found on her body."

Scully lifted her head up, confused, "That's not possible."

"Read the rest of the file on the surviving victim," Mulder remarked as he tapped at the pages.

"The other woman, who also had her heart removed, awakened from the coma three days later with no visible signs of trauma. Medically and scientifically speaking this can't be possible, and it says here the case was solved, why is this being reopened?"

"It's happening again, in warm, sunny, Artesia, New Mexico." Mulder stated with false enthusiasm, before he turned his attention back to the file.

"Two victims have been found, both with their hearts extracted, both in a coma, and both without any outwards signs of trauma," Mulder stood up, folding his arms across his chest, "We need to get down there Scully; we need to finish what John and Monica started."

"You honestly think these two cases are connected to each other?" Scully asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Whatever it is, it has X-File written all over it. We need to get into contact with the two Secret Service Agents that worked the case; so far, I've been unsuccessful in my attempts to locate either Agent Lattimer, or Agent Bering."

"What did the Secret Service tell you?"

"They're on assignment, in Venice."

Scully raised an eyebrow, "Venice?"

"Venice," Mulder replied dryly.

**The Badlands, South Dakota**

**Leena's Bed & Breakfast**

**6:40 AM**

Soft rays of morning light filtered through the windows of the B&B as the sun slowly crept over the horizon, basking the rooms of the B&B with a soft orange glow. It was a quiet autumn morning; at least it had been until one occupant was jarred from sleep by a loud buzzing sound.

Tiredly, Pete opened one eye. He sighed resignedly as he set his sights on the offending object and reached across the bed, silencing the alarm clock. Taking note of the time, he sighed again and rolled onto his side, pulling his pillow snugly back under his head. Pete smiled in his sleep as Myka snuggled up next to him, one slender arm coming to rest across his stomach as she rested her chin atop his shoulder.

Pete smirked slightly as she pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder, and she snuggled closer, her long legs entwining with his.

"Somebody's frisky this morning," Pete murmured with a chuckle.

"I'm not doing anything," Myka chuckled softly.

"In that case you better trim your nails…" Pete started only to be silenced in mid-sentence.

Pete opened his eyes to find a little furry creature, Myka's pet ferret cuddled against his chest, the small creature's little paws resting on his chest. His tiny nose twitched as he lifted his head to nuzzle Pete's chin in greeting. The male Warehouse agent leapt backwards in shock, sending both him and his partner crashing to the floor.

"What the Hell?" Myka stated groggily as she sat up, shaking loose the cobwebs. Rubbing tired eyes, she blinked back the remnants of sleep and spied her lover half tangled in the blankets with her on the hardwood floor. Despite being literally thrown out of bed, she could not help but giggle at the sight: Her pet ferret sat with his paws on Pete's arm, nosing him curiously, chittering in confusion. Myka held a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter and failed miserably.

"Damn...," said Pete, rubbing his head, "…not funny Mykes."

"I can't help it!" She replied through her laughter, letting out a little snort as she did. "Big tough guy Marine scared of a little ferret!" She teased him.

"I thought it was a rat!" Pete barked in retaliation.

The little ferret buried his face against her partner's arm, and she shook her head. "Oh don't call him that." Myka remarked her features softening as she scooped her little pet up into her arms. She scratched her pet affectionately behind his ears, and the ferret nuzzled her chin happily in response. Myka smiled as she glanced in Pete's direction.

"Besides I warned you, he likes to crawl into my bed and cuddle next to me." Myka held a finger to her face as though in intense thought. "Now I wonder, where could he have gotten that trait from…"

"Got me," said Pete. "I can understand why though."

"C'mon sweetie, I'll give you something to eat," Myka chided as she carried her pet back to his cage. She chuckled as the ferret lovingly nuzzled her neck. She set him back inside his cage along with some food.

"Here you go, eat up and get some rest okay?" Myka checked the lock on the cage before she turned around, and walked back over to the bed.

"That alarm," said Pete. "I thought we were off today?"

"Sorry, I thought I shut it off before we went to sleep," She remarked as she crawled back under the covers. "Technically you're at fault as well for forgetting."

"Nobody's fault," Pete replied as he sat atop the bed. "Things happen around here, we don't know what day it is. I remember one day we both forgot and collided out in the hall coming to wake the other up."

"Well in case you have forgotten, we're sharing just one room now." She replied as she traced her finger down the bridge of his nose. "Five more minutes?" She whispered quietly.

"You don't want to waste a perfectly sunny day, do you?" said Pete as he gently grasped her hand in his.

"Just a little longer, please?" She asked him, her eyes pleading. The last mission in New York had been rough, not just on her, but both of them. The night they came back they spent the entire evening in their room together, locked in each other's arms, simply content just to hold each other. They'd likely be out on assignment soon, and for right now she wanted nothing more than to relish in this brief moment of time they still had to themselves.

"Eh, why not," He replied with a slight shrug, an impish grin on his face. Pete settled into bed, his hand coming to rest against Myka's back as she rested her head against his chest with a tired little sigh.

The bed was warm and inviting, as most beds are when you first wake up. Now that he shared a room with Myka, it was always like that.

After their mission in Paris it wasn't long until word of their relationship had finally slipped out. Surprisingly Artie had taken the news better than they had hoped. He had no objection to the pair being romantically involved, especially considering they weren't the first to have fallen in love on the job.

Of course he had been the only one out of the loop, and found out via Claudia. His suspicions were only later confirmed by Leena. Leena herself had her own suspicions when she noticed the vibrant change in their auras, and there had definitely been a difference, a positive one. Now the pair had been splitting a room for nearly a month, and while it had been a slight adjustment at first, neither had been happier.

After a few more minutes of rest, the two agents got up and gathered themselves together. Pete waited while Myka used the bathroom first. He pulled together the clothing he was going to wear that day. He was off so it was something simple. Black jeans, blue t-shirt, gray sweatshirt with 'Marines' written in black letters over the insignia.

Showered and changed, Myka walked downstairs, dressed in a pair of blue jeans, and a white t-shirt, over which she wore her partner's dark blue dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up. Myka tied together the lower ends of her shirt together, so that it lay knotted against her waist.

Pete showered, shaved and changed before meeting Myka in the hallway. Myka laughed as Pete wrapped his arms around her waist, and he lifted her up off her feet as she came to a halt at the bottom of the landing. "Pete! Put me down!" She chuckled as he nuzzled her neck.

"I don't want to let you go yet," said Pete with a wink.

Turning her head to the side, Myka kissed him sweetly as he lowered her feet back to the ground. Both looked up as they heard a groan, "God, you two are hopeless. I'd tell you to get a room but you already did!" commented Claudia, her last remark laced with false cheer.

"What about that hardware store guy?"

Myka elbowed Pete in the ribs as Claudia went downstairs ahead of them both, "Don't bring him up, from what I heard their first date didn't go so well."

"Couldn't be that bad, I mean I've had my share of bad dates but…" started Pete.

"She spilled her chili all over the guy," Myka's remark earned her a grimace from Pete.

"Oh, that's a new one, though there was this one time…," He started again, and quickly piped down, as she shot him a look,"So breakfast?"

The two wandered into the kitchen, and found Leena setting out breakfast on the table. She smiled at the two agents warmly in greeting. "Morning guys, Artie will be by in a few minutes. He just got a ping this morning."

"Cool, little early for pie isn't it?" Pete joked in reference to one of the items she had set on the table.

"It's a ham, egg, and cheese quiche. Just took it out the oven this morning, you'll love it."

"Smells awesome," Pete replied, Myka gave his arm a playful swat as she sat down. "Just be sure to save some for the rest of us." she teased.

"Maaaaybe."

The group sat down to breakfast and hungrily dove into their meals. From out in the hall they could hear what sounded like yelling. Pete and Claudia exchanged glances, and Pete shook his head as he scooped out some more quiche onto his plate.

"Jeez Claude, what did you do this time?" He remarked in between bites of his breakfast.

Claudia held up her hands, "Nothing I swear! I don't know what the geezer is on about! Your guess is as good as mine."

The redhead cringed as she bit down on her fork in mid-bite; to say their boss had woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning (as far as she was concerned that was every morning) was an understatement.

"For the last time, they're not here! They're out on assignment!" Artie shouted from out in the hall. This time the group could make out another voice, this one male.

"And I'm telling you we need to speak to Agents Lattimer and Bering! I called the Secret Service, they said that they were on assignment on Venice, and I checked with the field office in Europe, they told me there's no one there by either name!"

Pete's fork paused as it reached his mouth and he cast a glance in his partner's direction who now sat frozen with her coffee cup positioned near her mouth. Claudia sat between the pair bug-eyed.

"You think we should―" Myka mouthed to Pete silently.

"Venice?" Pete mouthed back silently.

"―before things get out any more out of―" she continued to mime, gesturing with her free hand for further emphasis.

"Venice?" Pete mimed back his expression baffled.

Claudia rolled her eyes and slammed down her fork, causing it to clang raucously onto her plate. Leaning back in her chair she cast her eyes towards the direction of the hall before she then proceeded to yell out loudly. "ARTIE! Let whoever's at the door in already!"

Artie cringed, holding a hand to his forehead, "Welcome to the conversation!" Artie replied sardonically in a loud tone. "Listen, unless you suits have a sound reason for coming to visit, I'm afraid your trip has been all for naught."

"Fine, but before we go, you should know something: it's happening again." Mulder replied cryptically before he produced a heavily bound set of folders.

Artie rolled his eyes before he took the set of folders from Mulder. He flipped open the folders and frowned before he set his sights back on Mulder. "Where did you acquire this information?"

"From the F.B.I.'s New Mexico Field Office, look at all familiar?"

Artie paled as he perused the notes contained within the folders.

"This can't be possible, that item was neutralized, it was…," He looked up, locking gazes with Mulder, "This information is 100% legit?"

It was at this point that the woman who identified herself as Scully intervened. "That's what we're here to find out. It is imperative that we speak to the agents who worked with Agents Doggett and Reyes immediately," She replied in cool clipped tones.

Shaking his head, Artie sighed, before he stepped off to the side and allowed the pair entrance, "Mrs. Frederic will have a field day with this. Alright, come in, come in."

Artie led the two agents to the dining room where the trio sat finishing up their breakfast. Leena cleared away the plates as Pete, Myka, and Claudia sat quietly conversing amongst each other. Artie loudly cleared his throat and the trio snapped to attention.

"If you three are finished with breakfast, we apparently have a case on our hands," He remarked dryly as he dropped the set of folders down onto the table with a loud thunk. "These are Agents…"

"Special Agent," interrupted Mulder.

Artie rolled his eyes, and spoke again, his tone decidedly cynical, "I'm sorry, _Special_ Agent Fox Mulder and _Special_ Agent Dana Scully with the F.B.I."

Artie pulled out a chair as the two F.B.I. agents sat down at the table with him.

"Apparently the case you and Pete worked on in Pittsburgh is not officially closed. According to the F.B.I.'s Field Office in New Mexico, reports have surfaced of two attacks, both identical to the attacks in Pittsburgh." Artie slid the folder in Pete and Myka's direction.

The pair opened up the file folder and glanced over the information within, and the two exchanged glances before looking back at their boss.

"How is this even possible?" questioned Myka, before she cast her gaze back at the files contained with the set of folders.

Pete spoke up, "Yeah Artie, we snagged the knife, bagged it, and tagged it."

"And I did Inventory last night in the Dark Vault, the knife is still there, and so are the jars," chimed in Claudia. "Did this Chatuluka dude have any more toys we don't know about, or is he just…," Claudia steepled her hands and her dark brown eyes narrowed as she spoke, "…working from beyond the grave." Claudia replied in her best Vincent Price impersonation.

"That was pretty good," commented Mulder. "We would like to examine both possibilities."

"What I don't understand is how either victim is still alive," Scully remarked. "If I read their medical reports correctly, both should have been declared brain-dead based on their vegetative states. The fact that they can still function without a vital organ is medically impossible."

Artie struggled to find his words, and at that point Myka decided to speak up. "We have no explanation behind it either, but there are definitive similarities between the two cases based on our own investigations."

"Based on your own investigations?" Scully replied, one eyebrow raised. Before anyone else could offer up a reply, a voice none of the B&B's residents expected to hear, near startled them all out of their chairs.

"The remaining jars have resurfaced, and based on the information that has presented itself, it is imperative that the items in question be recovered immediately," The group turned at the sight of Mrs. Frederic, her appearance seemingly as sudden as ever. Her cool, calm, collected gaze remained unflinching as she shifted her sights to Artie.

"Do you not agree Arthur?" she questioned the older man quietly.

"Of course," Artie replied.

"Alright boss, what's the plan? Are we heading to warmer climes, and should I pack the tanning oil?" At his last remark, his partner swatted him upside the head, and Artie only rolled his eyes.

"You two are going to accompany Agents Mulder and Scully, and locate the source of this disturbance." Artie then set his sights on Mulder.

"Normally I would not let UFO chasing ninnies such as you intervene, but I have no choice, considering two other agents from your department worked with my agents previously on the corresponding case." Artie held up a finger as if to emphasize his next point. "Furthermore, any information I give my agents in regards to this case is not to be made public, do I make myself clear Agent Mulder?"

"We at the X-Files are the very soul of discretion," Mulder replied.

"Good, because let it be known that if such a thing were to happen, my superior would be the one whom you should fear," Artie replied, his eyes settling on Mrs. Frederic. Turning back towards Pete & Myka he gestured for them both to stand. "You two get your stuff, and get on the next flight out to Artesia pronto!"

"Maybe I'll bring Artie back a cactus," said Pete as he headed for the stairs. "He could appreciate the similarities."

Myka trotted after her partner up the stairs, and Claudia looked back in Artie's direction. "So what do you need me to do?"

Artie removed his glasses from his face and he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"What do I normally have you do, Claudia?"

Claudia nodded, "Research, research and more research, all over it boss." She replied as she hurriedly scrambled out of her chair, leaving Artie alone with the two F.B.I. agents. With a heavy sigh, he turned to Mrs. Frederic.

"Now as far as our guests go, are they to be… briefed?" He sighed when he suddenly realized she had come and gone just as quickly and as punctually as always. "I hate it when she does that," He remarked tiredly.

"She sounds like she'd be a real hit at parties," Mulder replied dryly, Scully pursed her lips tightly and held a hand to her forehead, shaking her head at her partner's remark.

A lingering silence filled the room as the trio awaited the return of the two Warehouse agents. A scant few minutes later the pair appeared at the bottom of the stairs with their overnight bags in hand. Artie nodded at the pair. "Contact me the moment you arrive, the sooner we close this case the better."

"Like... on the way to town 'moment' or just arrived at the gate 'moment'?" asked Pete.

"Use Myka's best judgment Agent Lattimer," Artie replied sarcastically. "Go, go! Be gone and return victorious."

Myka trailed after her partner, and the two followed the other two agents outside to where their rental car sat waiting.

"UFO chasing ninnies?" Mulder remarked dryly as he cracked a sunflower seed between his teeth. "That's a new one on me."

Scully raised an eyebrow slightly, "You've been called worse, by Skinner, by Kersh…"

"Yeah, but you're way too scientific to be a ninny."

"Quite the pair aren't they?" Pete whispered into his partner's ear as they trailed behind the two.

"Should make for quite the trip," Myka replied cryptically.

"Meet you two at the airport," said Pete with a wave. "We'll catch you up on the plane."

"Right," returned Mulder with a wave and a smile.

The pairs of agents got into their respective vehicles and started off down the dusty road. Mulder drove at an easy pace, spitting the odd seed shell out of the window as he went. After a few moments, he spoke, turning down the radio as he did.

"How much of the story do you think we'll get?"

"From my understanding, we've been given full disclosure in regards to the case," started Scully, she paused as she shifted her sights to her partner. "Yet I'm getting the impression you believe otherwise?"

"Remember, they are a secret branch of a government agency," said Mulder. "Not a basement-dwelling branch of a government agency, like us."

"Mulder."

"I'm just sayin'."

Over in the other car, Pete surfed radio channels as he talked to Myka, "…I'm just sayin', they seem a little more uptight than the other two."

"You think those two seem more uptight?" replied Myka, her expression baffled. Between the two agents she had spent the most time working with Agent Doggett. From what she could remember of the man he rarely smiled and his serious nature could rival even Mrs. Frederic's. Agent Reyes was a different story.

"So did you look up this Artesia, New Mexico?" said Pete. "Do you think they named it after one of Artie's ancestors? You know, being that it's dusty, dry and prickly?"

"No, I haven't, and can you try and cut him some slack? In case you've already forgotten we were just paid a personal visit by Mrs. Frederic herself."

"Okay, okay."

**Sioux City Falls, South Dakota**

**Sioux City Falls International Airport**

**7:15 AM**

Arriving at the airport, the agents found some open parking spaces and secured their cars. Pulling out their luggage, which was scant between the four of them, the agents made their way to the terminal. Mrs. Frederic had arranged for the tickets and all of the agents had been notified by email to their phones.

"Mine says 'Remember, discreet'," said Mulder, showing his phone to Scully.

"That sounds like Artie," Pete replied as he looked around. "Anyone hungry?"

"I could use a refill," said Mulder shaking his bag of seeds. "Want anything, Scully?"

"I could go for some coffee, and a bagel."

"Alright then that's settled, meet you guys at the gate?"

"Cool," replied Pete. "C'mon Mykes, might as well grab something for the road."

"How can you still be hungry?" Myka remarked with a slight raise of her eyebrows as they fell into line to check in their luggage.

"Seriously?" asked Pete with a smile.

Myka slung the strap for her laptop's bag over her shoulder as she and Pete walked off in the direction of the convenience shops. Unfortunately, she would be unable to research the case in greater detail until Claudia got back to them. Near immediately Pete could sense she was acting fidgety.

"What's going on, Myka?" asked Pete, his hand touching her elbow.

Myka smiled slightly at Pete. "It's nothing; I think I just need some Twizzlers."

Mulder entered one of the shops and looked around as Scully went to secure some chairs near the gate. It was the usual airport fare. Candy, magazines, books, t-shirts, souvenir snow globes and glasses. Locating some sunflower seeds, Mulder picked up two bags and then went to the coffee counter.

"Hello sir," The girl behind the counter started. "What can I get you?"

"Morning. A large coffee, one cream, hold the sugar," Mulder started. "A plain bagel with cream cheese. And a large coffee, black."

"You got it."

Mulder set the two bags of seeds down on the counter and picked up a copy of U.S. Medical Weekly. Extracting his wallet, he was ready when the girl delivered the coffees and the bagel.

"Is this all, sir?"

"Yea...well, hang on," said Mulder as he reached over to another magazine rack and pulled a magazine with articles on bizarre occurrences over the last twenty years. "That's it."

The girl rang up the goods and bagged the magazines and seeds. Mulder carried the coffees and bagel in a recycled-materials drink carrier and walked to the gate. Scully waved him over.

"Well hello there," said Mulder as he approached. "Never could resist a gorgeous redhead."

Mulder handed her the drink carrier which she set on the seat next to her.

"You tell that to all the redheads you meet?" joked Scully as she took a bite of her bagel.

"Nope, just you," said Mulder as he sat down.

Reaching into the bag he extracted the magazines he bought and handed Scully the Medical Weekly.

Scully smiled as she accepted the offered magazine. Taking another bite out of her bagel she flicked it open. "You don't think this is another government conspiracy do you, considering the location of the town I mean." Scully asked between bites.

Mulder holds up his own magazine which has three scattered fuzzy photos of UFO sightings and the infamous running Bigfoot shot.

"You'd think with the number of shots they have of the creature they'd have captured it by now," She commented wryly as she turned back to her magazine.

From some ways away she spied the two Warehouse agents approaching. Both of them were holding their own cups of coffee, and appeared to be quietly conversing amongst themselves. Scully raised an eyebrow slightly as she saw that Myka was nibbling on a Twizzler stick.

"Hey guys, so any word when we'll be jetting out of here?" questioned Pete.

"An hour," said Mulder, without looking up from the article he was reading.

Shrugging the pair sat down. "Might as well get comfortable," replied Pete.

Myka took a sip from her coffee as she finished the last of her Twizzler stick. "If you don't mind my asking, why didn't they send John and Monica on this case?"

"They're on another case."

"Another X-File?"

"I'm not aware of the specifics," said Mulder as he sipped his coffee.

"But you are the Senior Agent in charge," started Myka. "Wouldn't it make sense to send the agents that were previously assigned on the original case to conduct the current investigation?"

"They were needed elsewhere," said Mulder, setting aside his magazine. "Is there a problem here Agent Bering?"

"I am only questioning how seriously the F.B.I. or The X-Files Division for that matter takes cases such as these Agent Mulder." Replied Myka calmly.

"In truth, they don't take them seriously, Agent Bering," Mulder stated, his tone growing quietly harsher. "My partner and I have been victims of the system since we began work on the X-Files. We have seen, done and been through things you wouldn't dream existed. That is why we are here. We take the cases seriously."

"Agent Mulder wished to see to the case personally, Agent Bering," Scully intervened quickly, "Agents Reyes and Doggett only happened to be needed on assignment elsewhere."

Myka began to speak but she was silenced as Pete lightly brushed her arm. "Mykes, just let it go, they're only here to solve this thing, just like us." He spoke softly.

Biting down on her lip, she spoke up then, "My apologies."

"I need another coffee," said Mulder as he stood up. "This one is bitter."

Mulder walked off towards the convenience shop.

Scully watched as her partner got up and she sighed, glancing at the pair briefly, she raised an eyebrow slightly as the female agent fished out a fresh Twizzler stick. "I must apologize, Agent Mulder was never taken very seriously, nor was his work, he tends to get...defensive."

"No, I get it," said Pete. "Myka did get a little over the top. We're here to solve the case though and that's the end of it."

"I understand her skepticism, I was very skeptical of Fox's beliefs, that was until I experienced the ramifications of the cases we investigated for myself first hand," Scully's voice turned distant as she recalled the memories of her abduction. "Such things tend to change your beliefs when you experience them for yourself. Now I understand why he feels the way that he does."

Pete nodded, "We kind of... learned that ourselves."

Myka remained quiet, and instead took another bite from her snack. It was safe to say that they had had their fair share of encounters with evil vindictive artifacts, worse yet, not only had they been negatively affected by artifacts at different points, those close to them had been affected as well.

Mulder came walking back with another cup of coffee in his hand. He sat down quietly and opened a bag of sunflower seeds. It was so quiet that the sound of the shell breaking was like a wrecking ball at work.

The two sets of agents sat quietly amongst themselves, drinking their coffees, lost in their respective thoughts. The group looked up as a voice came on over the loud speaker, indicating that their flight had finally arrived.

The flight arrived and approached the gate. A few moments later the gateway doors opened. Passengers began deplaning and heading off to their various destinations. The gate agent then announced the flight was ready for boarding.

Downing the last of her coffee, Myka nudged Pete with her elbow lightly, "Come on, time to go."

With a yawn and a stretch Pete sat up straighter before he got out of his chair. "I wonder how the weather is down South," he remarked as he drank the rest of his coffee.

"Shall we?" gestured Mulder as he stood.

Scully tucked her magazine under one arm, and she stood up, "I'm ready, let's go."

The four agents made their way to the gate agent and checked in their boarding passes before heading down the jetway. Their seats were 9A through 9D. Each of them had packed lightly so seating was swift.

The plane filled up quickly, forcing the group to select seats in accordance to the way they had entered. As a result, Myka took an empty window seat, and Mulder took the empty aisle seat.

Mulder buckled his seatbelt and opened his magazine. He began to read as he popped another sunflower seed into his mouth. A second later, he spit the shell into a plastic cup without looking up from the article he was reading.

Myka promptly buckled her seatbelt and she leaned back in her seat, before she leaned forward and grabbed an abandoned magazine that another passenger had left behind. She rolled her eyes at the cover and put it back, it was some beauty and cosmetics magazine, the kind which was often filled with silly questionnaires and quizzes. She didn't know why other women bothered reading them. For once she found herself regretting not taking along something to read.

From across the aisle, Scully had taken the window seat, allowing Pete to take the middle seat as the aisle seat had been taken. She buckled her own seatbelt as she read over the file that she had placed across her knees. She looked up slightly as she heard a muffled chuckle from Pete. "Something you find amusing Agent Lattimer?" She asked him quietly.

"Myka," said Pete quietly. "Kind of stuck in her own mess now."

Scully cast a glance briefly in her partner's direction and she shook her head, "Mulder's just being himself."

Pete smiled to himself and pulled out the magazine he had bought. It was a movie regarding new and upcoming action films. He became instantly engrossed. The sound of another seed shell hitting inside the plastic cup sounded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Carlsbad, New Mexico**

**En route to Artesia**

**4:15 PM**

Several hours later, the four agents arrived, their bodies aching and tired as they departed from the plane. Unfortunately they would be in for another long ride before they finally reached their destination having had to secure a connecting flight. As it turned out, Artesia had no airports to speak of. Neither party was thrilled at the idea, but there wasn't much else they could do about it. After retrieving their luggage, the agents tiredly made their way to the rent-a-car outlet and took to the roads. Pete rubbed his eyes tiredly at the miles of dry, dusty landscape that loomed before them; at least the sun was no longer out.

"Man I'm bushed, why couldn't they have placed an airport a little closer to where we're going anyway?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Pete, the only thing I know is we're probably going to have to wait until tomorrow morning by the time we get checked in, our luck visiting hours will be officially over."

"Yeah, well for now we'll focus on getting settled in, shower up, grab a bite," combing his fingers through his hair, Pete lowered the air conditioning, near immediately he was starting to feel chilled.

"So...," started Pete slowly. "How did things go with Mulder?"

"We didn't talk very much on the flight; he kept eating those damned seeds," Myka remarked as she rolled down the sleeves of the blue dress shirt she wore. "He seems to keep mostly to himself."

"You didn't try and talk to him?"

"Me?" Myka pushed up her sunglasses onto the bridge of her nose and softly cleared her throat. "I kept to myself, I figured I'd let him have his space, no point in stoking the coals."

"Well, at least you had something to read."

"Right, like I'd ever be caught dead reading something like Marie Claire."

"Then why'd you put in your bag?" teased Pete, a playful smile pulling at his features.

"Now you're imagining things." Myka replied, her cheeks reddening.

"If you're reading it for beauty tips I don't mind," Pete gently kissed the back of her fingers, his sights flickering to her eyes but briefly. "But if it's for bedroom tips?" Pete growled like a jungle cat, and Myka swatted his cheek softly with a chuckle.

"The day I refer to a women's magazine to spice up things in the bedroom is the day you actually read The Manual." She replied in jest.

"You never know," said Pete feigning indignation. "I might read The Manual."

After about a second, both agents laughed at that remark.

"Oh Pete," said Myka.

In the other car the radio was on low and jazz music filled the air. The heater was quietly keeping the car warm as the two F.B.I. agents followed the two Secret Service agents towards their destination. Mulder sat quietly driving as Scully lay back against the seat next to him.

"She apologized about what she said Mulder," spoke Scully quietly.

"I know, Scully," said Mulder. "I guess I just let it get to me."

"You guess?" replied Scully as she sat up a little straighter in her seat.

"I suppose it is more frustrating that after all these years I still haven't done what I had hoped to achieve. Secrecy still shrouds the darkness that lies out there."

"And we were just the pawns in a much larger chess game," added Scully. "Sure felt that way most of the time, every step closer we got, we would get knocked off the board."

"Well, something good came from it all," Mulder replied. "I have you here beside me."

"Only something good came of it, nothing else?" Scully replied in jest, a slight smile pulling at her features.

"That and I converted you to my side." said Mulder, feigning an evil voice. "The 'dark side'."

"The 'dark side'? So much for my crowning achievements."

"Still, you had an effect on me too," Mulder started, his tone serious. "If I were this close to Roswell years ago, I would have been climbing the fence and trying to sneak in. Even on this case we're on, my thoughts are still divided."

"Someone had to keep an eye on you, keep you in line, but now you're telling me your thoughts are divided?" She remarked as she turned her head to look at him. "Care to tell me how it is divided?"

"Between the case and pulling this car over so we can make out like a couple of teenagers. With scattered thoughts of UFOs."

"Mulder."

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever change."

Mulder merely shot Scully a small glance, an easy smile and then continued driving.

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**The Red Wagon Motel**

**5:58 PM**

Roughly an hour later, the agents finally made their way to Artesia. It was not until much later in the evening they finally found a vacant motel. There were a handful of hotels also in the area, and a large number of them were booked solid, as were some smaller local B&B's catering to tourists. Now practically near the outskirts of town itself, the group found a red clay adobe structure dubbed "The Red Wagon". Driving towards the direction of the main building, Pete parked out front. He and Myka exited from their rental as the two F.B.I. agents pulled into an empty space nearby.

The neon sign advertising vacancy flickered woefully above them. The no portion made a loud pop and zap, brightening in intensity before it flickered out.

"Hope that's not a bad omen." Remarked Myka as she followed Pete to the main office.

"Or an artifact."

The door opened with a jangle of bells, and the two found a woman sitting behind the counter, reading a newspaper. In opposite corners of the small cramped office was an advertisement stand housing a variety of tourism brochures. In another corner sat a set of vending machines selling snacks and cold drinks.

Walking up to the counter, Pete smiled at the woman. She had to be in her late fifties, her hair was short, the color of salt and pepper. She wore an old blue shirt with the name "Sally" stitched in red on the front breast pocket.

"Hi, we were wondering if you had any rooms available?" He nodded in the direction of the sign. "Given the sign and all, we weren't really sure."

Sally folded up her newspaper and she placed it on the counter before she turned her attention to the pair. "The sign's busted," She remarked with a tired sigh. "I've been tellin' that old fool to get it fixed for about a month now, I take it everybody else is booked?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Only two rooms left," She replied holding up two fingers. "One bed to each room, ya'll stayin' together or separately?" She asked as she opened up a ledger.

"Together," said Pete, a polite smile on his face as he passed her a credit card and his ID.

"Ya'll seem like a nice young couple." Sally remarked as she handed the room keys to Pete along with his credit card and ID. "Next time you're passin' through I can help ya get a discount rate at one of the B&B's if ya like."

"We don't get by this way often..."

The woman smiled at the pair, "Maybe next time then, enjoy your stay."

"Thank you."

"Any luck?" Mulder asked as the pair approached them.

"Heads up." said Pete, tossing Mulder a room key. "One bed per room though."

Mulder caught the room keys. "We'll manage, right Scully?"

"I suppose."

"C'mon Mykes, lets go check out the room and grab some grub." Remarked Pete as he patted her on the arm. The two made their way back to their rental car and both got in before driving off in the direction of where their rooms were located. Mulder and Scully followed after them. A brief drive later and the two sets of agents got out and retrieved their luggage.

Slamming the trunk shut Pete cast a glance in Mulder's direction. "Hey I think I saw a BBQ place back in town, meet you both in about an hour?" Pete called out.

"Sure," Mulder replied. "I guess I could do with something to eat."

Pete waved at the pair before he walked off in the direction that his partner had gone. Myka looked up as Pete approached her.

"Hey, any word from home base?" Pete questioned her, and Myka shook her head.

"Nothing yet, we should probably call though, see if Claudia or Artie discovered any new information." Myka remarked as she unlocked the door before she moved to open it. She frowned as the door held tight.

"You can't be serious."

"What's up?"

"I used the key, it's unlocked," She remarked as she twisted the knob, and attempted to push the door open.

Pete stepped up to the door; applying his shoulder all in a swift motion. The door came loose with a loud popping sound. He stood just inside the doorway and bowed, gesturing. "Milady."

"Showoff," Myka replied, flashing him a smile as she playfully punched him in the shoulder before she stepped inside the room.

The room itself was fairly Spartan; near the window was a table with three chairs, a small kitchenette off to the right that housed a mini fridge, and a small coffee maker. A queen-sized bed took up most of the space at the room's center. Off to the left of the bed was a small closet which housed a small security safe within. Directly in front of the bed was the dresser, atop which rested an old box TV set and the room's phone. The bathroom stood near the room's entrance and was fairly rudimentary. The entire room had a southwestern motif to it; despite being cramped it was homey in its own way.

"It doesn't get any better than this." said Pete as he closed the door behind them. "I bet you have to wrestle a Gila monster for an ice cube in this joint."

"Hopefully the air-conditioning works, otherwise we'll have a problem." Myka replied as she set her bag down before she pulled out her laptop.

"I think I saw a pool?"

"I regret to inform you that I left my two-piece in my other luggage," She remarked as she booted up the computer, and Pete set down his bag.

"Well, that's not a problem," said Pete with a wink.

The tinny buzzing of the Farnsworth shattered the quiet air and Pete pulled out the device, flicking it open. He was immediately greeted by Artie, "Hey Artie, just about to call you, we only just arrived to Artesia."

"Are you at the hospital?"

Pete shook his head, "Visiting hours are officially over, we're going down to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning and see what we can learn about the patients. You or Claudia turn up any new information on the artifact?"

"Nothing that we don't already know, though I strongly suspect the artifact in question may have also belonged to the High Priest Chatuluka," replied Artie.

"Though that's not what has us worried, it's the two remaining jars. Mrs. Frederic is highly adamant that they are recovered, especially considering the fact that H.G. Wells is still off radar."

"Do you think she would use an artifact like the jars?"

"I would not put it past her; former agents do not get bronzed, especially without damned good reason." Artie replied bitterly.

"If on the off chance she does surface, apprehend her by any means necessary."

"Are you expecting trouble?"

"She's off radar, but I will say this," Artie leaned closer to the Farnsworth as if to emphasize his next point, "Watch your backs." With that, the screen turned black as Artie turned off his Farnsworth, and Pete did likewise, snapping the case shut.

"I take it Artie was paid another visit by Mrs. Frederic?" Myka remarked as she looked up from her laptop.

"Probably," said Pete. "He had that Mrs. Frederic-visited way about him. Get anything from Claudia?"

"She forwarded me our case notes from the case in Pittsburgh, I want to go over them later, see if there is anything that might throw us a hint," Myka replied as she tapped at the keyboard. "Maybe we missed something the first time around."

"We can have a round table with our F.B.I. friends and compare notes."

Myka looked up before she nodded and closed up her laptop. Picking up her bag, Myka walked over to the dresser and put her clothing into one drawer while Pete took another drawer for his own belongings. Afterwards, Pete placed their toiletries in the bathroom, setting the bags atop the counter. He returned to the bedroom to find Myka pulling on a black, long-sleeved hoodie.

"Ready to go?"

"I'm ready."

Mulder hung up their spare suits in the closet. It was bare except for a few random wire hangers and a cedar block. The entire room had a very minimalist way about it. It almost felt like he had stepped into the fifties, especially looking at the TV.

Mulder had changed from his black suit and tie to a pair of blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a brown leather jacket. He was tired from the drive but his stomach was rumbling. Mulder closed the closet door and turned to see Scully sitting on the bed with the laptop computer.

"What'cha doing over there, Scully?"

"Examining any files we have on this incident."

"Gets your medical-dander up, huh?" said Mulder as he looked out the rooms window. "It is strange."

"I don't know Mulder; I've seen some strange cases before, but this?" She replied as she pulled off her reading glasses. "During all the time I've spent on The X-Files, I've never seen anything like this before."

"Are you ready to go eat some late night barbeque?" asked Mulder. "Nothing guaranteed to help you get to sleep faster."

Scully nodded and closed up her laptop. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Hopping off the bed, Scully pulled on a pair of white sneakers. She had changed out of her pant suit earlier, opting for a pair of blue jeans, and a dark blue t-shirt, over which she wore a white button-up blouse. Mulder smiled at her as he lightly traced a strand of hair from her face.

The two walked to the room's door and made their way outside to where they had parked earlier. A short distance away the pair spied the two Warehouse Agents. Pete smiled at the two as they approached each other. "Hey, figured we could ride together on our way out, have us a little campfire."

"Is it a do-it-yourself barbeque?" asked Mulder.

"No, no," said Pete with a laugh. "I meant a... conference? Meeting of the minds?"

"Oh, so you'll be waiting outside then?" asked Myka innocently.

"Oh, you're a riot, Myka," Pete commented with a chuckle. "You're buying."

"Come on," Myka laughed. "Let's load up the car, Pete's hungry and he'll nag until we get to the restaurant."

The four agents piled into the car rented by the Secret Service agents. _AC/DC_ came on over the radio as Pete started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"How much do you both know about the previous case?" Myka questioned the pair.

"We have the files from Agents Doggett and Reyes." Mulder replied. "We looked them over."

"Freaky Egyptian Voodoo aside, what didja make of it all?" Pete piped up.

"Well, we had a case involving organs that was a little on the fringe," said Scully. "Nothing like this though."

"And certainly nothing connected with canopic jars in any tangible fashion," Mulder chimed in.

"Believe me, it was definitely one of our stranger ones," said Pete. "Not like New Orleans though."

"Tell me about it...,"commented Myka as she shook her head.

"New Orleans?" asked Scully.

"Long story," Pete and Myka said simultaneously.

"We'll tell you about it later," said Myka as she elbowed Pete. "We'll tell you what we know."

Pete pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Red and yellow neon blazed brightly in front of them. The small blue neon stating that cold beer was within stuck out like a sore thumb. Pete parked the car.

"Finally!"

Everyone followed Pete inside.

The moment the group stepped inside they were immediately met with the strong smell of hickory burning and the stronger scent of smoked meat.

Tables and chairs were littered throughout the space of the establishment. Many of the tabletops looked as though they had seen better days, the wood scarred and worn from use. Resting atop each table was a metal pail with a bottle of unmarked hot sauce and a roll of brown paper towels. Along the walls, several booths could also be spotted.

From another corner what sounded like an old _Hank Williams_ song playing could be heard. In the far back a man stood behind a bar serving drinks, nearby behind another counter a small handful of people stood cutting up hunks of meat, while others tended the grills behind them. Spying an empty booth, the four agents sat down.

A few moments later a waitress came over. She looked a little tired but she smiled genuinely anyway. As she came up she extracted a pencil from behind her ear and a note pad from her apron.

"My name is April," she started. "What can I get ya'll to drink?"

"I could go for a cold root beer," said Pete.

"Coke," said Mulder and Scully nodded as he looked at her. "Make it two."

"I'll have an unsweetened raspberry iced tea," remarked Myka.

"Ok then," said April. "Y'all take a minute to look at the menu and I'll be back with your drinks." April walked away from the table, leaving the group alone to peruse their menus.

Scully picked up the menu cards from a small rack on the table and handed them out. Most everything was meat-related. Even the salads had meat in them. At the very bottom were a few listings for vegetarian-inclined customers.

"A triple barbequed, shredded beef burger with Devil's Fire sauce," spoke Mulder aloud. "Certainly grabs the attention if nothing else."

"Sounds good to me too," Pete commented readily. "Does it come with fries?"

Mulder looked up briefly at Pete and then turned back to the menu. "Yeah, I think so. You see anything, Scully?"

"Yes, a future heart clinic's small fortune amassing." Scully replied blithely. Mulder shook his head and smiled slightly at her remark. Pete gave a wry half laugh, Myka only smiled.

After a few moments everyone found something edible on the menu.

The waitress came by with a large circular tray that held their drinks and a basket of mixed biscuits. She set them down and placed a tray of butter next to the basket. Inside the dark wicker basket on a red and white checkered cloth were several biscuits. Sourdough, regular and sweet potato rolls brought together a pleasing array of scents.

"Ya'll decide on your orders?" asked April.

Each agent put in their order and Pete was already buttering up a roll before the waitress left. Mulder picked up the basket and offered it to Scully and then Myka who each took a roll. Mulder took one for himself.

"So did you find out how the organ was removed from the body of the victim without obvious tool marks?" asked Mulder, starting off the dinner conversation.

Myka's knife stilled over her roll, and she looked up to spy Scully whisper something in his ear. Off his confused look, Mulder spied a couple from the next table over giving them peculiar glances. He smiled sheepishly and at that moment Pete quickly intervened and slapped his hand on the table.

"So how bout those Panthers eh? Could it be any more obvious who the tools are this year? Come on!" His remark had the desired effect and the couple shrugged and returned to their meal.

Pete & Myka exchanged glances before turning back to Mulder.

"Something I said?" Mulder noted with a slight grin.

Pete picked up his knife and a packet of butter. "You know the expression like a hot knife through butter?" Mulder nodded, and Pete continued, "The knife used was so sharp it left no visible signs of injury, nothing, not a scratch."

"Is that even possible?" remarked Scully, her expression reflected one of befuddlement.

"In our world, there's no such thing as im-possible," Pete replied before he took a bite out of his roll.

At that moment the waitress arrived with refill drinks. "Your orders will be by in a few more minutes, they're just getting filled now."

The group grew silent as she set the drinks down on the table, and she smiled at them before she stepped away, "Let me know if ya'll need anything else." She called out over her shoulder.

Mulder nodded as the waitress left and picked up another roll.

Myka took the reins this time, and she spoke softly so as not to draw attention their way. "The jars were believed to possess certain supernatural properties."

"Supernatural properties?" remarked Mulder, clearly intrigued. "You mean like voodoo?"

Pete & Myka exchanged glances, and Myka leaned in closer to Mulder as she spoke. "Even we're not entirely sure exactly how the jars work, but they played a key role in our investigation, we believe that they kept the surviving vict―individual alive."

Myka sat back in the booth, her expression distant. Here they were chasing the same artifact, and with slightly more information than before. That fact aside, it did little to comfort her, or quell her slowly building worry. What if Artie was right? What if they would cross paths with H.G. again? Would she be so bold to make a sudden appearance for such a deadly artifact? Would she act with as much violence and deadly force as she had when they first crossed paths?

"Hey, Mykes," said Pete as he looked at her with a worried expression. He took her hand in his. "You okay?

Myka squeezed her partner's hand in return, the feel of her hand enclosed in his hand bringing her a silent degree of comforting reassurance. His warm brown eyes seemed hardened with determination as he locked gazes with her. It was a very subtle, gentle reassurance, but one she appreciated all the more. Pete smiled slightly at Myka his gaze softening, the Marine façade falling away just as quickly as it had appeared. He flashed her a small smirk as he gently brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. As Myka looked up, she spied the pair across from them speaking animatedly to each other albeit in hushed tones.

A song played through the jukebox in the corner as Mulder got up from the booth and offered his hand to Scully. The female F.B.I. agent blushed slightly as she took his hand and rose to her feet as well.

"Back in a bit," said Mulder to the other two agents as he danced with Scully away from the table.

The restaurant was large enough to accommodate a dance and the hour was late enough where there were not many people around. Those that were there seemed to be truckers and late-night travelers. They stuck to their own business though Mulder noticed their waitress smiling.

"We don't get too many moments like this on a case, huh?" asked Mulder softly.

Scully smiled up at her partner, the soft lilting music a strange comfort to her ears as they danced. "No we don't do we?"

"No," said Mulder. "If we were normal people Scully, this might even seem out of place. Thank goodness we defy convention."

Scully's blue eyes glowed with laughter, her smile widening. Her expression sobered as she glanced back in the direction of the booth and she saw that the two agents were sitting marginally closer together, their gazes focused solely on each other.

"I doubt the term is in their rulebook either," she whispered softly as she turned to her partner.

"Close enough for government work," Mulder replied softly, a wry smile forming on his lips.

Raising an eyebrow, Scully glanced back towards the booth just in time to see Pete brush a strand of hair from Myka's eyes, she was smiling, a stark contrast to her solemn nature earlier. Based on their body language around the other, especially from this distance she could see that they were quite close to each other.

Turning back to Mulder, Scully smiled. "The work is still getting done either way I'd say, wouldn't you agree?"

"Define 'work' in this context Scully," Mulder replied coyly. "I may have to get back to you later on about it."

"What you would define as work I'd define as 'on-the-job-distraction'." Scully replied back. "Not that I'm saying it's an unwelcome distraction."

"Well, your date did buy you dinner first..."

"Aren't we the romantic; dinner by light of a roasting pit."

"Sort of brings out the animal in one, doesn't it?"

Scully chuckled and rest her head on his shoulder. "She's worried, are you worried?" Scully spoke softly as they continued to dance slowly to the music.

"Never," Mulder replied quietly as he nuzzled the top of her head, "Always."

Scully said nothing, and the two danced, quietly swaying to the music. The song ended and the pair pulled away, Mulder's hand came to rest against the small of Scully's back as they turned and walked back to their booth. Pete & Myka sat conversing as quietly as before, but the female Warehouse agent seemed slightly more at ease than she had been earlier. The two looked up as the F.B.I. agents returned to the booth and sat down.

"Have fun, kids?" asked Pete, a smile on his face.

Myka giggled at her partner's remark, oh the irony in his statement.

Mulder smiled slightly, and turned to glance at Scully before looking at the two Secret Service agents. "Reciprocal to your time, I imagine."

Myka gently grasped Pete's hand in hers, flashing him a gentle smile before she turned to the agents, "As well as can be expected."

Mulder looked at the table that was still without plates of food and turned to look towards the kitchen. He saw their waitress touching at her eyes with a tissue and sat back quietly. He nuzzled Scully's temple before turned back and stabbing at random ice cubes in his glass with his straw.

The group sat quietly as they waited for their meals. A scant few minutes passed before their waitress returned carrying a tray of food.

"Here y'all are, sorry about the wait." She remarked as she set each plate of food in front of each agent. Standing up she dusted her hands off on her smock. "Let me know if you'll be needin' anythin' else, enjoy your meals."

"Thank you," Mulder replied.

After the group distributed their meals and drinks and condiments they set to eating. All was quiet for a few moments until Mulder spoke again.

"Hell of a 'meeting of the minds', huh?"

"Not the first time we've traded case notes over BBQ," replied Myka.

"Those were some great ribs in Kentucky," Pete commented around a mouthful of his meal. "Great sauce too, speaking of sauce, you'd think this place let us have the recipe for this?"

Myka shook her head as he licked some barbeque sauce from his thumbs. "Pete…"

"Well, back to the case then," Mulder replied as ate a fry. "How did you find the perpetrator last time?"

"Pete had a hunch," replied Myka as she took a bite of her BBQ pulled pork sandwich. "A very big hunch to say the least, led us straight to him."

"So, a gut instinct," nodded Mulder, grinning. "Hear that Scully?"

"Hey, I'm not a call service," Pete intervened. "They come and they go, I have no control over it."

"No," said Mulder waving Pete off. "A debate, of sorts. Science versus the instinctual nature of man."

Scully turned in her seat, "You, you're saying that science has more merit than the instinctual nature of man?"

"No," Mulder said. "I think they complement each other. Like Rocky and Adrian, they fill gaps."

"That's actually...pretty deep." Pete nodded in agreement.

"Yo, Adrian…" said Mulder with a mock Stallone voice.

"Takes more than brawn to get the job done," replied Myka.

"Why do you think I keep Scully around?" asked Mulder, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm Don Quixote and she keeps me from attacking windmills."

"Someone has to," quipped Scully. "I'm guessing it was more than pure gut instinct that you led you straight to the perp, however."

"Yeah," said Pete.

"He was right under our noses...," started Myka. "We just didn't realize it until later; that was when Pete put two and two together. He had a vibe."

"Been there a few times," said Mulder before biting into his sandwich.

"Well this time we'll make sure he doesn't slip under our radar, right Mykes?" remarked Pete.

Myka nodded in agreement as she licked some barbeque sauce from her fingers, "Right."

"We're no Doggett and Reyes, but we'll do our best to help you in that regard," Mulder commented as he stole some ketchup from Scully's plate.

"Agent Reyes certainly had her own opinion of the supernatural," Myka remarked as she nibbled on a French fry. "Agent Doggett seemed more skeptical in his beliefs."

"John is my male counterpart to Scully," Mulder nodded.

"I've become more open in my beliefs," Scully commented. "I believe Monica may have swayed his beliefs in some shape or form, especially given his tenure on the X-Files."

"It works its own brand of black magic on everybody," said Mulder.

"We find rationality tends to leave itself at the door as well," replied Pete.

"Follow the yellow brick road," returned Mulder as the waitress came over to bring refills for their drinks.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

The group smiled at their waitress. "No, no everything's great, food's fantastic," Pete beamed.

April smiled warmly at Pete's compliment, "I'm glad y'all are enjoying your meals, can I interest y'all in dessert? We've got some fine pecan pie."

"To be honest, I don't think I could eat anymore," replied Myka with a sheepish smile.

Pete chuckled and smirked, "Two slices, to go."

"Four," said Mulder. "No sense in going away unprepared."

The waitress smiled at the group, "I'll be back in a bit with your check and your desserts."

The group continued to eat their meals in companionable silence, making short work of the remainders of their food. Pete snuck a few fries from Myka's plate as she sat back against the booth cushions, nursing her raspberry iced tea. Their waitress returned a few minutes later with two Styrofoam containers. Setting the containers on the table, she smiled at the group.

"Here's your pie, you can drop your check off by the counter on your way out," She remarked as she passed the item in question to Pete. "Enjoy the rest of your night."

Myka craned her neck to the side as she glanced over his shoulder at the check. "So what's the damage?" Mulder piped up from across the table.

"Thirty bucks."

"You lie," Myka replied as she playfully swatted her partner on the shoulder. "I saw you down at least three root beers."

"That sandwich was really, really spicy," Pete replied in rebuttal. "It was to keep the fire at bay."

"Couldn't have been that bad since I saw you adding that hot sauce rather liberally."

"To be honest neither of you neglected the hot sauce," observed Scully.

"What can I say, Scully?" started Mulder, slipping her a sly wink, "I like things hot."

"Yeah, me too," Pete chimed in. "C'mon everybody, it's late."

The group rose from their booth, taking their Styrofoam containers with them. After splitting the bill's total amount between them, they made their way up to the counter to pay. Mulder grabbed a toothpick as Pete paid the cashier. He sighed solemnly as he peeked in one of the containers before closing it back up.

"Too bad we didn't ask for whipped cream, it'd probably have gone great with the pie," Pete commented as the cashier handed him his change.

The cashier looked up at his remark; her hair was jet black, her fingers adorned with numerous rings and short black fishnet gloves. She reminded Pete of someone, but for the life of him he couldn't say who.

"Oh, did you want whipped cream for your pie?" Before Pete had a chance to respond, she had already turned to the large glass refrigerator behind her. Within he could also spy several cakes, pies, and assorted pastries stowed inside. She beamed at him as she returned with two small metal canisters.

"Here you go; lots of our customers just come by for our cakes and pies alone." She gave a shrug and sheepish smile before adding, "We started giving these out after people kept complaining about the whipped cream melting."

"Cool, no charge?" Pete asked as he placed the canisters in the bag, and she shook her head.

"Yup! On the house!"

"Thank you."

The group made their way outside, and upon exit immediately met with the sounds of thunder rolling off in the distance. A flash of lightning illuminated the skies, causing long fingers of light to stretch out across the heavens.

By the time the agents made it to their rental the rain came, flying down in sheets.

"Whoa, lucky break!" commented Pete as he started the car.

"Yes, quite serendipitous," Mulder commented.

"Come on; let's get out of here before this whole place turns into a sandbar," replied Pete.

Pulling out of the parking lot, Pete led the car onto the road and back into the direction of their hotel. The thunder crashed loudly, nearly drowning out the radio's volume. The only other sound was that of the wiper blades as they worked to keep up with the rapidly falling drops.

"Haven't seen rain like this since that time we were stranded down in Florida," commented Mulder as he cast a glance out the window.

"During hurricane season no less," remarked Scully recalling the case.

"Sounds like there is a story there, guys," Pete said. "We have some time if y-"

Myka nearly leapt out of her seat as a flash of lightning illuminated the road, and she yelled out cutting her partner off in mid-sentence, "PETE LOOK OUT!"


	3. Chapter 3

Pete pulled hard on the steering wheel as he spotted the man standing in the middle of the road, and he attempted to swerve around him. The man instead shambled in the direction of the car and Pete cursed as the vehicle made contact with a loud sickening thump before eventually skidding to a halt.

"Scully?" Mulder asked as he stirred, taking inventory. He put a hand on Scully's shoulder. "Dana, are you okay? Guys?"

"I'm okay Mulder," Scully returned, putting her hand on Mulder's.

Pete blinked away the cobwebs as he sat up, and he held a hand to his face. He hurriedly reached for his seatbelt as he spied Myka half slumped over, leaning in his direction.

"Myka? Myka!" Pete unclipped his seatbelt and turned to his partner, his hands coming to rest on either side of her face, "Mykes are you alright?"

"We'll go check on the vic," Mulder remarked before he quickly exited from the car, Scully tailed behind him. "I'll go with, he might need medical attention."

Myka opened her eyes, scrunching her nose as she came around. "Pete," She started slowly as she blinked away the fog from her eyes. "What the Hell happened?"

"I don't know- that guy just came out of nowhere! He had to have been drunk! He―"

Pete looked up as he heard a sharp knock on the window; he rolled it down and was greeted by Mulder. "What's up? Is he okay?"

"He's gone!" At Mulder's remark both Pete and Myka shared bemused looks before climbing out of the car to follow after Mulder.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Myka called out over the rain.

"I'm telling you he's gone, vanished, disappeared!" Mulder hollered out.

The group stopped at the front of the car; the man that had stepped out in the road was nowhere in sight. The only thing that greeted their eyes was the lonely rain slicked road. Pete and Myka looked at each other, their faces wrought with equal amounts of confusion.

"But... I hit him..."

"I saw you hit him, we all did," Myka replied her expression baffled.

"You don't suppose he just…," Pete remarked as he turned back towards Myka.

"Don't, don't even say it…," Myka stated as she held up a finger to emphasize her point.

"Got up and walked away?" Mulder commented as he glanced in Scully's direction.

The four agents exchanged glances, ranging from perplexed to intrigued to skeptical.

"This does not bode well." Mulder stated flatly.

A clanging, buzzing noise filled the air and both Pete and Myka exchanged glances before they dashed back to the safety of the car. Mulder and Scully remained behind, opting to investigate the surrounding area.

"What do you suppose their hurry was?" Scully remarked as Mulder took another long look at the surrounding area.

"Got me," Mulder shrugged as he drew his pistol and flashlight before falling into a Harries technique and slowly moving forward to check the area.

The rain came down cold and heavy like icy nails. The road between the diner and the hotel was barren and offered little cover, save for a few large rocks. The man could not have been thrown far by the collision.

Scully pulled out her gun, and she followed after Mulder. The rain was cold, making the night feel even colder. Scully scanned the road, her eyes searching for anything out of the ordinary, most importantly, a body. A flash of lightning illuminated the road, and that was when she saw something. Running forward, Scully spied the downed man, face down in the mud.

"Mulder! It's him!" Leaning forward she picked up the man's wrist in an attempt to gauge his pulse. Her brow creased in confusion and worry as she turned to her partner. "Mulder this man is-"

"SCULLY!" Scully turned as an inhuman gurgle met her ears and she jumped back as the man lunged at her, his teeth bared.

Mulder fired three shots on reflex and instinct. The bullets hit the man in the chest and sent him back down hard to the wet pavement. He lay still as Mulder walked up, flashlight keeping the man in sight. Mulder stopped next to Scully.

"Are you injured?"

Scully shook her head, her heart pounded in her chest. "No, I'm alright, I'm..." An angry growl met their ears and both agents turned to find the man had pushed himself up using his hands. His eyes were yellowed and bloodshot, and if neither agent hadn't known better it looked as though half of his face had been chewed off.

Pete and Myka ran to the scene as Mulder pushed Scully behind him and fired again. This time the bullet struck the man's head and the body fell limply back down with a hollow sounding thud.

"Partner, I do not like the voodoo that you do... " Mulder said to the corpse. "Ex-boyfriend, Scully?"

Scully only looked at her partner for a brief moment before she turned to look at the two Warehouse agents.

"What happened? Is that the guy?" Pete asked as Mulder helped Scully to her feet.

Myka frowned as she moved in closer to examine the man, "This can't be the man you hit Pete, he looks as though he's...he's already dead."

Pete looked at the body and then up at the sky as the rain continued to beat down on them. "Night... of the Living Dead..."

"You don't really think this man crawled up from out of his grave do you?" Myka remarked as she stood up.

"How would I know?" shrugged Pete. "I'm not the guy who knows where all the bodies are buried."

Scully looked over the man's features; gaunt, sickly, and very, very dead. "This man appears to be in the early stages of decay, the only thing that could cause this level of damage would be a flesh eating bacteria."

"So... why are we near this guy again?" asked Pete.

At Pete's comment the agents backed away.

"We're going to need to report this," Scully remarked as she reached for her cell phone.

Mulder placed his hand on Scully's arm, "Let's think through this first before we go calling in the local cowboys, Scully."

"Mulder are you suggesting we just leave this man out here? This could be a case for the CDC."

"No,." said Mulder, shaking his head. "Just call the right people. Can you imagine this report skittering across the A.D.'s desk? F.B.I. agent shoots corpse?"

Scully hit the speed dial on her cell phone for the local F.B.I Field Office. She stepped away from the group as she held a hand to her ear to hear over the rain. Pete and Myka exchanged glances before looking back at Mulder.

"New Orleans...," mumbled Pete.

"Should make for an interesting story..., " Mulder said quietly.

Scully returned a few moments later. "I called the local F.B.I Field Office, they've been notified of the situation, and are going to the A.D. for further instructions."

"Oh, I have a feeling that I'll hear about that." Mulder replied.

"For now we're to return to our rooms," Scully remarked dryly. "We'll be contacted in the morning."

"Leave the body?" asked Mulder.

"They're sending a team out," replied Scully.

"Should we...stake it or something?" asked Pete. "It did run off before."

"Mulder shot him in the head; I doubt he's going anywhere anytime soon."

"You know your zombie lore Scully, I'm impressed." Mulder remarked with a slight smile.

"I got it from you."

"See?" said Pete, as he turned to Myka.

"Don't you start!" replied Myka.

"So, how about some dry rooms then, huh?" stated Mulder.

"Sounds good to me," Myka replied as she rubbed her arms. "Come on Pete; let's get out of here. Any longer and we're going to freeze."

"Just remember to not run over the body." said Mulder as he walked with Scully back to the car.

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**The Red Wagon Motel**

**9:48 PM**

The group made their way back to their rental, their bodies' cold and tired from having stood out in the rain. The moment they climbed inside, Pete turned the heat on in an attempt to erase the chill from their bones. By the time they returned to the hotel, he turned the heat off. Their clothes were still waterlogged but thankfully they felt slightly less chilled. Killing the engine, Pete sat still for a long moment, his expression distant as he watched the raindrops splatter against the windshield.

"Once more unto the breach," said Mulder quietly before he slipped from the car, Scully following after him.

Pete looked up as he felt Myka's hand on his shoulder and he smiled at her in reassurance. "Come on, let's go get dried off."

Keys in hand, Pete exited the car, and Myka followed after him. She gave a brief wave to Mulder and Scully as they dashed off to their room, and she mimed a phone receiver, indicating that the two agents should call them later. Shivering, Myka raced after her partner and she found him standing by their room, key already in hand.

Both agents sighed in relief as they stepped inside their room, and Pete quickly batted the door shut behind them. He placed the Styrofoam container on the table before he pulled off his shirt and jacket in one fluid motion. Pete looked up to spot that the bathroom light had been turned on, his partner absent from sight.

Laying his shirt and jacket out across the heat register, he turned the heat register on, adjusting the room's temperature to something warmer. He smiled as he felt a gentle wave of warm air as the machine whirred to life. Satisfied he stepped inside the bathroom. He smiled slightly when he found Myka toweling her hair standing next to the sink. She had stripped down to her undergarments, her clothing lay spread out across the bathtub nearby in an attempt to air-dry the garments.

Pete wound his arms around Myka's waist, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder as she stood up. "Nice pj's," whispered Pete as he nuzzled her hair.

Myka squirmed, and she shivered. "Your hands feel like ice," she chuckled.

"They'll warm up real quick this way," he commented with a wink.

Myka nuzzled Pete's face adoringly, her arms coming to rest over his arms. "I just want to get changed; go crawl into bed, curl up under the covers," She whispered in reply.

Pete nodded as he rubbed her arms in an attempt to generate heat before he reached for a bath towel. Throwing the towel over her shoulders, Pete wrapped her in a bear hug.

"Dry off, and I'll go crank the heat up, try to erase some of the chill," he whispered in her ear before he exited from the bathroom, taking a towel for himself.

Pete dried off as much as possible and changed into some more comfortable, dry clothing. He sat on top of the covers on the bed and let the aches ease from his body. Being soaked to the bone always did that to him.

Myka emerged from the bathroom lightly toweling her hair, now changed into a pair of black shorts, and an oversized football jersey. Pete sat atop the bed, his back against the headboard. He had since changed into a pair of gray sweat-shorts, and an old black USMC shirt with the sleeves cut off. The Styrofoam container sat on the edge of the nightstand, its contents untouched. Myka's expression softened at the sight. It wasn't like Pete to turn down food. Approaching the bed she sat down and tenderly stroked his face, drawing him from his reverie.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah," said Pete slowly. "Just thinking about the case, it's a little eerie."

Shifting positions, Myka moved closer and she wrapped her arms around Pete's waist, letting her head come to rest against his shoulder.

"The similarities are striking aren't they?" she whispered softly as Pete coiled his arms around her.

"They are, that's what worries me," he whispered into her hair as he held her close.

Neither said anything for a long moment, their respective thoughts taking them back to another time, another place, more specifically that of a large freezer with a horde of manic zombies pounding on the door outside. Would they find themselves in a similar situation once more? But this time outnumbered by an army of blood hungry, flesh eating reanimated corpses?

Deciding that perhaps a late-night movie would be best to take their minds off past cases, Pete reached for the TV remote. Myka snuggled into Pete's arms as she pulled the covers over them both. "No late-night zombie movie marathons."

"I had no intention of doing that," chuckled Pete.

"You so would," she replied as she nuzzled his neck. "Don't lie."

Pete smiled and nuzzled her hair in response.

"Maybe I would," Pete whispered into her hair as he stopped on a channel playing the movie '_A Fistful of Dollars_'. "You got anything against Clint Eastwood?" He questioned Myka as she sat with her back against his chest, Styrofoam container now in one hand, can of whipped cream in the other.

Myka shook her head as she topped off her slice of pie with whipped cream; she paused as she turned back to Pete. "Pie?"

Pete smirked as he took the can of whipped cream from her. "You know, I can think of plenty of other uses for this."

At his remark Myka smeared a glob of whipped cream across his chin. Pete retaliated by spraying the whipped cream in her direction. Myka laughed and she hooked an arm around his neck, she smiled as she nuzzled his nose, giving him a soft kiss. "I like it when you smile, I can't stand to see you being all serious."

"Mm," nodded Pete. "I like seeing you smile too, Myka."

Mulder sat at the Spartan desk looking over the case file. He was dressed in black sweat pants and his Oxford University sweatshirt. It felt good to be dry again. Sitting back for a moment, he listened as Scully took her hot shower and the room's heating unit hummed lazily. He remembered a lot of moments like this, the pair of them holed up in rundown hotels in the middle of nowhere. Usually in separate rooms, back then.

His reloaded firearm set on the desk next to him along with the filled out report for having to use it. Paperwork, it followed him everywhere.

Light spilled out from the bathroom onto the small, cramped motel room floor as the door swung open. Scully emerged from the bathroom clad in a pair of loose-fitting dark purple pants, and a matching dark purple tank-top, her hands currently busy with pinning her long, red locks into a bun behind her head. Mulder smiled at the sight; he had found over the years that even when not on duty Scully was persistent in remaining color coordinated.

"It feels so much better to be in dry clothes again, had we stayed out in that rain any longer we'd have all contracted pneumonia," commented Scully.

"At least there is a doctor close by."

Scully grabbed the Styrofoam container and flipped it open as she approached Mulder. "Find anything interesting in the case notes?"

"It's all interesting," Mulder started as he leafed through some pages. "Nothing jumps out at me though."

Setting the container on the bed next to her, Scully leaned back on her elbows. "I'm still wondering why they ran back to their car when they did earlier tonight."

"Kind of like they knew what was going on?"

"Yeah, what do you suppose that was all about?"

"You got me, Scully," Mulder shrugged as he closed the file and stretched his arms and shoulders. "Pie any good?"

Scully held out the open container that held the second slice of pecan pie which had since been adorned with whipped cream. "It's very good actually, here, try some."

Mulder took his slice of the pecan pie and ate it like a slice of pizza. It was pretty good, but most little diners were good at what they did. The non-commercialization of the small business. Quality draws in more people and keeps them coming back.

Of course when you are the only diner for fifty miles in any given direction that will keep them coming back as well.

"You feeling okay after what happened out there?" asked Mulder. "I know we have seen some things, but that was still a little unsettling."

"As well as can be expected," started Scully slowly. "I'm just glad you were there with me."

"Well thanks for backing me up," said Mulder quietly. "Even through the worst of it, I always felt okay if you were there beside me."

Scully only smiled at her partner as she reached for his hand. "Your strength is my strength."

"Now we do sound like a couple of teenagers," chuckled Mulder. "Maybe I should break out some Bobby Darin records."

"You'd need to find a record player first, though in this place I doubt that would prove very difficult," she remarked with a slight smile.

Mulder lifted the lid to the cabinet that also held the rather old school television. A record player lay beneath. He grinned.

"I can't produce a record though, sorry."

"We can always do an emergency record run later." She offered with a small smile. Scully yawned and stretched before she stood and disposed of the now empty Styrofoam container. "Come on Mulder, let's get some sleep."

"Is that a metaphor?" chuckled Mulder as he also yawned.

Scully threw one of the pillows at Mulder, prompting a laugh from him as he caught it.

"You siren, you,"

Mulder took the pillow and lay down on the bed beside Scully.


	4. Chapter 4

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**The Red Wagon Motel**

**5:58 AM**

Myka groggily opened her eyes, and she sighed sleepily as she reached for the alarm clock before letting her head fall back onto her pillow. Her eyes shot open as she suddenly realized how warm the room was and she sat up straight up in bed.

"Oh God, please don't tell me we spent last night locked in a freezer," she remarked as she buried her face in her hands.

Pete merely mumbled something unintelligible from under his pillow.

Myka lifted her head in confusion and she grabbed the pillow from her partner. "Run that by me again, I don't speak gibberish."

"Turn the heat down, will ya?" Pete repeated, taking his pillow back and covering his head again.

Sighing, Myka stood up and walked over to the heating unit, and cranked the dial down to a cooler temperature. Near immediately a noticeable difference in the room's temperature could be felt. She sighed in relief as the cool air hit her face, and she stood up and stretched. She shook her head as she spied her partner attempting to burrow into the bed sheets.

Approaching the bed, Myka tapped his shoulder. "Come on sleepy, get up."

Once again, a mumbling was heard from underneath the pillow.

Rolling her eyes, Myka walked the short distance to the bathroom and stepped inside, turning the water to freezing inside the shower. Stepping back out into the room she knelt down hooking one of Pete's arms over her shoulders before she walked back in the direction of the bathroom. Pete murmured sleepily into her neck, not yet fully awake as he stumbled along with her. Shaking her head Myka shoved him into the shower and turned the nozzle on.

"You conscious now?" She called out dryly.

Pete came alive and pulled Myka into the shower with him. The cold water seemed to have no effect on him as he kissed her.

"Oh, yes."

Myka pulled back and she reached behind her, adjusting the water's temperature to something slightly more tolerable.

"We don't have time for this; we've gotta get out of here in another hour," She whispered nervously as Pete leaned in to kiss her.

"Just relax, Myka," said Pete as he untucked her shirt. "We're saving time right now."

"Says the man who just got an ice shower from his girlfriend," chuckled Myka.

"Works for me," said Pete with a wink.

Myka kissed Pete as she pulled his shirt off over his head. Their arms became entangled in the garment as he pulled her closer, and he deepened the kiss passionately. Myka smirked as she broke off the kiss, and she softly nuzzled his nose.

"Come on soldier, we're wasting precious time," she remarked breathlessly.

"Marine," Pete replied as he tossed his shirt off to the side.

Pete gently brushed a long strand of hair away from Myka's dark green eyes, prompting an angelic smile from her at the tender action. _His_ angel. Pete's heart warmed at the thought; if ever there was a more befitting term of endearment for the beautiful woman standing before him, he'd be damned if he could think of one.

Dare he say it, he could happily see himself spending the rest of his life with Myka, even if it meant chasing artifacts for the rest of their days. There was no other person he'd rather be partnered with, no way, no how. Pete whispered Myka's name quietly as he leaned in to kiss her softly, and she reached up lazily to pull the shower curtain closed, the small room already clouding over with more steam by the minute.

Mulder reached out and turned off the alarm clock on the nightstand next to his side of the bed. He closed his eyes again and turned away from the clock, putting his arm back around Scully's waist.

"Damn alarm."

Scully pulled her pillow closer, and she nuzzled into it sleepily. "What time is it?" She spoke up quietly, her voice still groggy with sleep.

"Quarter to seven."

Scully's eyes shot open. "Oh God, when did it get so late?"

While Mulder showered, Scully reached for the phone and dialed out. She wanted to inform the hospital ahead of time of their arrival, in doing so it would avert any unnecessary confusion on their parts, and it would allow her to see that they were allowed proper clearance in accordance with their investigation.

Mulder finished cleaning up and walked out wearing a towel.

"Shower's free."

Scully held up one finger as she jotted something down onto a pad of paper before she hung up the phone. "I was just on the phone with Artesia General Hospital. They said that both patients were airlifted this morning to Carlsbad Medical Center."

"Another long ride with the Wonder Twins then," said Mulder as he dried off his hair.

"Wonder Twins?" commented Scully dryly.

"The ones who guarded the car last night."

"I'm sure they had their reasons," Remarked Scully as she stood up. "Besides if you're that bothered by it why don't you just ask them?"

"Request information from a government agency?" Mulder laughed, "Such a sense of humor."

Shaking her head, Scully grabbed a change of clean clothes before she disappeared into the bathroom.

Mulder got dressed in a dark gray suit, blue shirt and a striped tie. He stood in front of the mirror and worked his tie as he waited for his partner.

Scully emerged a scant few minutes later from the bathroom, her hair now pinned neatly behind her head. She had since dressed in a pair of black dress slacks, and a white button-up dress blouse with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Sitting on the edge of the bed she pulled on her dress shoes and sighed. Professionalism was a must as was in accordance with their jobs but it was no fun in weather like this.

Mulder clipped on his gun and put his credentials in his jacket pocket.

"I'll go and get the car."

Scully stood up as she grabbed her badge and her gun. "No it's alright, I'm ready."

Mulder walked outside of the room, slipping on his sunglasses as he left the cover of the awning that hung over their room's door. He made his way to their car and unlocked it, getting in.

Grabbing the GPS from the glove box, he programmed it for their destination.

Scully walked the short distance to the two Warehouse Agents' room and she knocked on the door, "Agent Lattimer? Agent Bering? Are either of you awake?" She called out.

Pete opened the door, one arm in his suit jacket and the other not.

"What's up, F.B.I.?"

"We have a drive ahead of us, the patients we were supposed to see this morning? They've been airlifted to Carlsbad Medical Center." replied Scully.

"Carlsbad?" started Pete. "Isn't that like... an hour away from here?"

"I'm afraid so, apparently the hospital here in Artesia is ill-equipped for treating both patients' conditions."

"Okay," Pete replied. "Myka is almost ready. We'll meet you in the parking lot."

Scully nodded, before she turned and headed towards the car where she found Mulder fiddling with the air-conditioner.

"I've informed them of our little road trip, is the air-conditioner acting up?" Scully asked her partner worriedly as he smacked the dashboard.

Mulder put his hand in front of one of the vents and felt cold air issuing forth. He turned and looked at his partner.

"Nope," He started. "Ready?"

Scully nodded and smiled. "Ready."

She looked up as she heard the sound of a door opening and she spied the two Warehouse Agents exiting from their room. Mulder raised an eyebrow slightly as he noticed Pete's hand positioned behind the small of his partner's back as they walked together.

"I guess they do things differently in the Secret Service."

"The same could apparently be said about the F.B.I.," Scully replied dryly as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Wasn't knocking it," said Mulder, a small smile forming on his lips.

Pete's hand fell away as they drew closer to the car, and he nodded at the pair as he and Myka climbed into the backseat.

"Hey guys, so anyone up for grabbing an egg sandwich and some cold coffees for the road? I hear we're in for a long drive."

"An egg sandwich in this heat?" asked Mulder.

"Cold coffee might be good," commented Scully as Mulder pulled out of the parking lot.

"We'll need something for the drive anyway," Mulder nodded, "Diner first, Carlsbad next."

**Carlsbad, New Mexico **

**Carlsbad Medical Center **

**8:30 AM **

After a filling breakfast and an hour long drive, the group finally arrived in Carlsbad, New Mexico. This early in the morning the sun still blazed on, baking almost everything in its path. Mulder groaned as he opened the car door after they pulled into the hospital's parking lot, near immediately he could feel the immense change in temperature as they stepped outside the cool confines of their rental. He half expected to see a group of vultures circling overhead.

As Scully got out of the car and covered her eyes, Mulder smiled at her.

"Hey Scully," he began. "What's cookin'?"

"Us!" said Pete as he looked up at the sky briefly.

"Agreed, the sooner we get out of this heat the better," replied Scully at Pete's remark.

Collective sighs of relief were heard as the group stepped inside the hospital, a rush of cool air washing over them as they passed under the doors.

Sunglasses came off as the group entered the lobby area. People and wheelchairs were in abundance as the quartet of agents took a moment to catch their breath and let the cool air flow over them.

"Okay everyone," started Mulder to the other agents. "This is a hospital. Stand back and let Scully do her thing."

The group made their way to the front desk where two receptionists sat behind the counter. One woman spoke into a headset as she typed, her eyes were fixed on the monitor in front of her, and she paid the group little if any heed. Scully produced her badge as the second receptionist looked up from her work. "May I help you?"

Scully nodded, "My name is Special Agent Dana Scully, this is my partner Fox Mulder. We're with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; we were told that two patients were airlifted to the facility this morning."

"And they are...?" the receptionist asked, nodding towards Pete and Myka.

Pete and Myka produced their badges at the woman's question. "Secret Service and F.B.I.? Are these patients considered a threat to National Security?" she remarked as she raised an eyebrow.

"They were victims of an attack related to a confidential matter, yes," Mulder stated flatly. "Where are they currently?"

"They're staying in the Cardiology Wing, Southeast Section, Room 502," the receptionist reached for the phone as she continued speaking. "I'll page Doctor Cragun, and inform security you'll be coming up."

"Sounds like a plan," said Mulder as he walked past the desk and headed for the elevator.

Myka's brow creased as she glanced in her partner's direction, and he nodded slightly, a small smile crossing his face. Myka's expression remained unreadable and she mouthed a silent "what" to her partner. Pete said nothing and only flashed her a coy wink. Ducking her head, Myka smiled briefly, remembering her outburst the last time they were both in a situation such as this.

Mulder hit the call button and the elevator doors opened, he stepped inside and hit the button for the fifth floor. He held the door until the others were on board.

"The music's not great, but it is cozy," said Pete with a smile as the doors closed.

The doors whooshed open and the agents stepped out onto the floor, walking in the direction of the room the patients had been assigned.

"I have a feeling that we can expect some resistance," said Mulder.

Before Scully had a chance to reply a jarring noise grabbed the group's attention. In the very same direction they were headed, a group of nurses could be seen charging into the room across the hall. The very same room that housed the patients they had come to see. "CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!"

"What the Hell's going on?" remarked Mulder as they raced towards the room, the group ducked out of the way as a nurse ran past them.

"I don't know, but if that's our patients' room..." Started Scully, she looked up as she spied a man exiting from the room and she hurriedly approached him. "Sir, sir, are you Doctor Cragun?"

"I'm sorry I have no time to speak, a patient's life is at stake!" The man remarked as he held up a hand, near immediately Scully stepped down, and she watched silently as the man entered the room.

Standing outside the doorway the four agents could only watch as the scene unfolded before them, a woman lay on the bed her body spasming violently as two nurses held her down, most frightening of all was her eyes, their color was that of a ghostly white. A third nurse stumbled to her feet as the woman kicked her backwards violently, sending her crashing roughly into a cart. An unearthly scream escaped from her lips as the nurses fought to hold her steady, her body slackened but not before she spoke, "_Ba...Ka...Ib..._"

And with that her eyes slipped closed and she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

"What the Hell was that?" Asked Mulder.

The agents watched as the doctors and nurses picked themselves up and righted the equipment. Some attempt was made by the doctor but the effort was futile. He checked his watch and called time of death. A sheet was pulled over the body and the heart rate monitor was turned off. The doctor turned away from the room and exited to the hallway. He was visibly shaken.

"We were told we were to meet with a Doctor Cragun," started Scully slowly. "Are you him?"

"Yes, I am Doctor Cragun," the man stated. "Give me a moment."

Mulder walked to a nearby water cooler and got a paper cup. He handed Doctor Cragun a cup of water a moment later which the doctor accepted. Cragun drank the water down and then stared into space for a moment before turning to look at the agents.

"I have never seen anything like that in all my years of medicine," he started. "And I have seen some strange and horrible things."

"We can relate," said Pete quietly.

"Who are you?" asked Cragun before he turned and looked at Scully. "You tried to talk to me before...,"

"Special Agents Mulder and Scully of the F.B.I.," started Mulder as he held up his credentials. Gesturing over at Pete and Myka he continued. "Agents Lattimer and Bering, Secret Service. We came here to talk to you about the two patients that were airlifted here this morning."

"Why?"

"They are part of an ongoing investigation," said Mulder, his tone even but final.

"I see...," said Cragun. "What do you need from me?"

"For one, why were they brought to this facility?" questioned Scully.

"We thought we could better treat them here, and analyze what was causing the coma." Replied Cragun as he swiped at his brow. "The woman who just... died... Lettie Vicente, she was the first of the two victims to be brought in. The other woman, Nancy Larketta, she was only brought in three day after Lettie."

"Was there any indication in her condition that would lead to what just happened?" asked Mulder.

Doctor Cragun shook his head. "She had been completely vegetative, nearly unresponsive for the past week, not a soul expected she would awaken, let alone be able to function. The family had considered pulling her off life-support, but I suggested another method as opposed to waiting, an artificial heart implantation."

He removed his glasses as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "She was going to go into surgery in another hour before...this happened."

"And up until now her vitals were normal?" questioned Scully.

"From what I can tell given her current condition, yes," replied Cragun as he put his glasses back on. "Had we waited any longer she would have been unable to undergo surgery."

"Why?" asked Pete.

"I don't know how else to explain it, but it was as though she started to waste away, down to nothingness," Cragun sighed heavily. "She barely- if it all- responded to the treatments we were giving her, it was as though her spirit had conceded defeat."

Pete gave an outwardly casual glance to Myka, but his eyes delivered a deeper meaning.

"How is the second patient currently?" asked Mulder. "Nancy Larketta?"

"Nancy is near completely vegetative; she's awake but entirely unresponsive," replied Cragun.

"Can we see her?" questioned Mulder, and Doctor Cragun nodded. "Right this way,"

The doctor led the group back inside the room, and upon approaching the other bed he pulled aside the curtain. A woman who appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties laid in bed resting. Her long, strawberry-blonde hair fell over her shoulders in waves, her brown eyes were apparently focused on the room's TV, but a closer look revealed that she was staring off aimlessly into space.

"Nancy, this is Agent Scully," Doctor Cragun spoke softly to the young woman as he approached her, Scully at his side. Nancy gave no response and stared aimlessly ahead, the only sound in the room was that of the breathing device that supplied her with oxygen. Truly a heartbreaking sight and one Scully had seen far too often.

Mulder watched Scully and Pete started to wave his hand in front of the girl's face when Myka put a hand on his arm.

"What do you see, Scully?" Mulder asked.

"She's vegetative, but her vitals appear to be stable," replied Scully.

"We had planned to prep her for surgery tomorrow morning, though now we are reconsidering bumping the operation up," started Cragun, and Scully turned her head.

"Taking into account what happened to Lettie, you're anticipating a repeat of events."

Cragun nodded, "Precisely."

Standing up straight, Scully turned to the doctor. "With your permission Doctor Cragun, I would like to perform the autopsy on Lettie Vicente."

"Why?" asked Cragun, somewhat stunned and confused by the request.

Scully bit down on her lip, there really was no easy way to say this but what else could they do? "We have a strong reason to suspect that this incident is similar to a previous incident that occurred in Pittsburgh last year, both women had their hearts extracted correct?"

"Yes, yes they were," Cragun nodded as he flipped through his notes. "We're still baffled by how such a feat was even accomplished; we found no evidence of surgical cuts, or any sort of knife wound for that matter. If this is some sort of Black Market operation, they're very skilled."

Cragun glanced back in Nancy's direction, and sighed sadly. "Still I can't help thinking there's something much more dark and sinister at work, why take just the heart, and nothing else?"

"We are attempting to ascertain why ourselves," Mulder replied.

Cragun nodded, "I'll see that the paperwork is cleared, if anything I hope you find something that will explain who is behind this, the entire state is absolutely rattled by the ordeal, myself included. I miss the days when we only had to worry about treating rattlesnake bites, but now..." Cragun only shook his head before he silently exited from the room, leaving the four agents alone.

"You do autopsies?" asked Pete.

"You should see her at Thanksgiving," Mulder replied before turning to Scully. "Did you have to connect this to what happened in Pittsburgh?"

"It's highly likely he already knew about Pittsburgh, Mulder."

"I just hope that this doesn't get to the press," said Mulder as he looked at Nancy, "Could make our job more difficult."

"Drive the killer further underground?" asked Pete.

"Could happen."

"Among other things...," commented Myka quietly, her expression distant as her gaze lingered on Nancy. Sighing, Myka turned away and she walked quietly towards the door. Biting down on her lip, she took a deep breath before she pushed the door open and stepped out into the hall. Leaning against the wall she held a hand to her forehead, already feeling a migraine beginning to build.

Pete ducked out quietly, following his partner into the hallway. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Scully and Mulder were talking amongst themselves. Closing the door quietly behind him, Pete turned to Myka.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Myka straightened, and she pursed her lips together tightly as she glanced at Pete before she gestured weakly with her hand. "That woman, Nancy, she's nearly Claudia's age." Myka sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, her finger twisting around one of her curls.

"This isn't about your former partner is it?" said Pete.

Myka frowned. "Sam?" her expression was one of confusion, and she laughed half-heartedly. "No- why would you think that?"

"Because you just compared that woman with Claudia," said Pete. "You work with Claudia and the association was not lost on me."

Myka sighed, "It made me think about what happened with MacPherson. How he had no qualms about going after family, if only so he could get his hands on artifacts. If H.G. were to get a hold of this artifact, there's no telling what sort of damage she could do, or who she'd use it against. You know it, I know it." She replied remembering the way the time traveler had little to no qualms about ensuring that the very man who had aided her escape met a fast end.

"Okay," Pete started. "But right now we have to assume that she does not have them. We have a case; don't make it bigger than it is until we know."

"I doubt she's behind this, why attract attention so suddenly?" Myka shook her head. "Artie's right, she's been off radar, there's no reason why she'd suddenly draw attention to herself only to fall back into hiding."

Myka sighed as she folded her arms. "Whatever this is Pete, we have to stop it."

"And we will," said Pete, his hands resting on Myka's upper arms. "We did last time and we will again. We even have the F.B.I. with us and they seem pretty cool."

Myka nodded, and she gave her partner a sad smile, silently thankful for her partner's reassurance. "We should probably call Artie; let him know what we found out."

Pete reached into his jacket pocket and extracted his Farnsworth. He opened it and called Artie.

A few seconds later, and both agents were greeted by the face of their boss. "Agents, any news?"

"One of the two victims died just a little while ago," started Pete. "The other is still in a coma."

"What? I thought both patients were being airlifted to Carlsbad Medical Center?" Artie remarked in a baffled tone.

"They were," said Pete. "We're there now."

There was a shuffling of papers heard from the other side of the Farnsworth, followed by the clacking of keys. "How long have both patients been like this, in their current conditions, do you have any idea?" questioned Artie.

"Well, the one died about... 15 minutes ago," said Pete as he checked his watch. "The second one was brought in three days or so ago?"

Artie stroked his beard in intense thought. "The first victim in the Pittsburgh case, she was in the hospital for, what nearly a week before she passed away?"

Myka nodded. "She was in the hospital approximately a week, maybe less; do you think this has anything to do with that energy spike you picked up last night on the Warehouse's computers?"

"Assuming the two are connected, it is highly possible; in fact another massive energy spike was detected just minutes earlier."

"That means either when the first victim died," Pete began. "Or a new one was taken...,"

"What?" came Mulder's voice from behind them.

Pete and Myka both nearly jumped at the sound.

"Who is that?" Artie called out over the Farnsworth, "is it Agent Mulder?"

"Very Special Agent Mulder, yes," Fox said. "What did Agent Lattimer mean by 'another one'?"

Artie sighed heavily. "Have you read the case file?"

"Yes," Mulder replied.

"Have you read the section about the jars?"

"Can we just skip to the end here?" said Mulder. "As you probably know, the first woman died and we're on the clock with the second one."

"The jars can be used again, multiple times," replied Myka. "It's possible their current owner may use them again, to take another victim's soul."

"So, where is this other victim?"

"If I knew that, then you wouldn't be in New Mexico now would you Agent Mulder?" Artie replied sarcastically. "It is up to you to see to it that there are as few victims as possible!"

"No kidding," Mulder replied. "Guess we best get off the phone and get to it then."

Reaching out, Mulder closed the Farnsworth.

Myka and Pete stared at each other wide-eyed at Mulder's gesture. Pete cringed; he could only imagine that Artie's mood had now completely taken a southern direction.

"He might be a friend of yours, but he really needs to learn that we're on the same team here, even if we work for different departments," said Mulder. "Scully is preparing for the autopsy now. I'll stay here and monitor, why don't you two go and see about this other victim."

"He's always like that," started Pete. "He seems to have two modes, grouchy and grouchier." At his remark, Myka swatted his arm.

"Agent Mulder is right; we need to find out more about this other victim, assuming there already is another victim," Myka shuddered at the thought. "Do you really think it's possible Pete?"

"Better to look into it," said Pete quietly.

"Yeah but, where do we even start?" replied Myka.

"Let's call Claudia," said Pete. "Maybe she can listen to local police calls and give us a direction?"

"Claudia?" remarked Mulder. "That girl with the wild hair we met back at the B&B?"

"Yeah," Pete replied.

"She's your tech support?"

"Yeah?"

"She'd have probably gotten along great with Byers, Frohike, and Langly." Mulder remarked with a slight smile. "Listen, the minute you learn anything, call me. Hospitals aren't exactly wild about us using our cell phones, but it shouldn't make much of a difference down in Autopsy."

"Call us if anything unusual turns up in the autopsy findings. I've got a funny feeling there's something we missed the first time around, something right under our noses," replied Myka.

"You got it," Mulder replied.

Pete fished out the Farnsworth as the two began to walk away, and Mulder disappeared back inside the patient's room behind them. Within moments Claudia's face appeared on screen.

"Hey Claudia...," Pete began.

"Shh!" Claudia made a hushing motion, and several moments later from somewhere in the background the sounds of objects clattering and papers being shuffled about could be heard.

"Artie?" whispered Pete.

"He's up in the loft, cursing all manner of government agencies it so seems, anyway what's up?"

"I was wondering if you could do some electronic spying for us?" Pete began. "We need to know if there has been any talk of another victim similar to the other two."

"My specialty!" remarked Claudia cheerily as she wheeled over to a computer station. On the other end of the Farnsworth, Claudia could be heard typing hurriedly away at her computer as she worked. She growled and smacked the computer screen. "Ugh, this isn't any good; I can't pick up any chatter."

"Nothing on the police scanners?"

"No I mean it's not letting me pick up any radio chatter on any wave-length period!" Claudia replied in an exasperated tone.

"Claudia, could it be possible that the energy spike that Artie detected earlier is creating some sort of interference?" asked Myka.

"All the way back here in South Dakota? From New Mexico?" remarked Claudia.

"It's possible, for all we know they could be overloading the Warehouse's computers. Still there should be safeguards preventing that! Of course the old man has been griping about updating the system," she added with a roll of her eyes. "God only knows if he'll go through with the idea."

"Any other way we can get the information?"

Claudia snapped her finger. "You can jury-rig the Farnsworth to pick up short-wave radio signals! Ingenious- I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier...," Claudia practically beamed as she rubbed her hands together. "Just think of all the bitchin' modifications I could do to spruce my baby up…"

"Claudia..," Pete said, his tone flat.

"What? Oh right, right! What was I thinking, me modify a super secret piece of technology used by a super secret government agency." Claudia laughed nervously. "Look, I'll go give the systems a look-see, so if I can get them working again, give me a few minutes and I'll see what I can get for you guys."

"Thanks Claudia, you're awesome."

"No prob, peace out!"

The two agents waited patiently as they stood in the hallway; hopefully by the time Claudia got back to them she'd have some sound information for them both. Either way, no news was good news. Both looked up as the Farnsworth buzzed to life noisily, and Pete promptly switched it on.

"Find anything?"

Claudia nodded. "I just picked a report up about a man that was found unconscious outside Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The Park Rangers seem to suspect a mountain lion attack, but he's reportedly also suffering from dehydration. Something tells me this is more than just some poor sap that got lost in the hills, I'd check it out."

Pete nodded. "Can do, Kirk out," Pete replied as he snapped the Farnsworth shut.

"First zombies, and now cougars, what's next zombie cougars?" Pete said his tone thoughtful as he and Myka made their way back to the elevator.

"Zombie cougars? Really?" Myka remarked as she shot her partner a bemused look.

"Hey, are you ready to doubt it with all that we have seen?"

Myka cringed. "I see your point; still let's hope we don't run into any, anytime soon."

"See?" Pete commented. "Let's check this out."

Pete led the way as they walked to the elevator. Soon the two Secret Service agents were walking across the boiling hot parking lot towards their rental car. Getting in, Pete started it up as Myka got into her seat and belted in. After setting the air conditioner to the proper specifications, Pete belted in himself. After slipping a CD into the player, Pete slid on his sunglasses and grinned.

"Do you know something I should know?" remarked Myka, her eyes narrowed, her gaze studiously intense.

"Nothing,"

The CD player began to play and '_Old Time Rock n' Roll_' by Bob Seger began to issue forth from the car's speakers.

"Onward," said Pete as he navigated the car out of the parking lot and onto the road.


	6. Chapter 6

**Carlsbad, New Mexico **

**Carlsbad Medical Center**

**11:21 AM **

Scully pulled her long hair snugly behind her head into a tight bun before she proceeded to pull on a hair net. There were times she missed wearing her hair short, she normally would have no such need for the item, but given the length she wore her hair now she found it necessary. Stepping in front of a large stainless steel sink, she turned the water on, set it to a hot temperature and promptly proceeded to scrub up. Once she had finished she turned off the water and grabbed a pair of latex gloves, promptly snapping them on.

Turning towards the autopsy table, she picked up a small digital recorder and turned it on.

"Case #29813. Special Agent Dana Scully performing autopsy of one Lettie Vicente." Scully continued to speak as she looked over the deceased woman in question lying atop the table. "The deceased is a female Caucasian, approximately twenty seven years in age, weighing in at approximately 145 lbs. Cause of death is undetermined."

Scully set down the recorder as she began her cursory exam of the body. "Cursory exam reveals no outward signs of trauma or injury to the body."

She frowned as she examined the body closely. "There appears to be visible scarring directly under the sternum, spanning two inches in diameter."

Turning towards the table, Scully picked up a scalpel from the tray of tools. "I'll begin with the Y-incision and start my examination of the chest cavity."

After opening the body, Scully examined the visible internal organs before she proceeded to set her scalpel down on the table. "Internal organs appear to be in good health, consistent with that of an adult female in her prime."

Reaching for a large set of tools resembling pliers, Scully spoke again. "Removing the ribcage." The bone snapped with a wet crunching noise, and once finished she set the tool down before she lifted out the ribcage. Her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her.

"Oh my God," Setting the ribcage down onto a nearby table, she frowned at the sight: in the place where the victim's heart had once been sat a pile of gray ash.

"Scully?"

Scully held up a finger and she grabbed an evidence jar before she scooped out as much of the ash as possible and placed it inside the jar. Sealing it tightly she set the jar on the table. "There appears to be an ashy substance in the chest cavity, occupying the space where the heart was. Further analysis will be needed to identify the substance."

Straightening her stance, Scully turned off the recorder before she turned to Mulder.

"How are you doing here?"

"I've only just started, based on what I've found so far this woman appeared to be in perfect health."

"What is that you found there?" Mulder asked, indicating the blackish substance.

"I don't know, but if I had to make an educated guess it looks like ash. How it got into Lettie Vicente's body I'm not certain." Scully replied calmly, blue eyes wrought with confusion.

"Did you find any outward trauma?"

"As a matter of fact there was, I found evidence of tissue scarring over her heart."

"Did she have any previous surgeries?"

"According to her medical records, she had never heart surgery before, there's no telling what it's from."

"No surgical implements left behind in the body for us?" asked Mulder, a slight smile on his face.

"I haven't worked with many mythical knives lately; I'd need to get back to you on that one." She replied wryly. "Have you heard any word back yet from Agent Lattimer or Bering?"

"Not yet."

"I'm going to be here at least another hour, and I'm going to need to send this ashy substance to toxicology to have it analyzed." Grabbing the evidence jar, she handed it to Mulder. "Unless you want to save me the trip?"

"An evidence jar?" stated Mulder with a wink. "Wow, maybe I can carry your books to your next class?"

Scully only shook her head and smiled slightly, before Mulder turned and left the autopsy room, leaving his partner to her work.

**Carlsbad, New Mexico**

**Carlsbad Caverns National Park**

**11:25 AM**

Elsewhere, the two Warehouse Agents drove along a dry and dusty path, the hot sun blazing down upon their rental. By now both had ditched their suit jackets, and cranked the air conditioning to well below freezing. Bit by bit the landscape around them transformed, giving way to dry, grassy plains dotted with patches of desert wildflowers and cactuses. Further along the way several tall junipers could be spotted, some of them appearing nearly as old time itself. Off in the distance a large rocky structure could be spotted.

"It's strangely beautiful out here." Remarked Myka, and Pete nodded in agreement. "Scorching temperatures aside."

"Kind of reminds me of you," said Pete teasingly. "Beautiful, hot and with a very high temper-ature."

"You may have a few relatives out here, what were they called again, coyotes? Crafty, cunning, always getting into some kind of trouble?" Myka replied dryly, a teasing smirk on her face.

"Only if you spell trouble m-y-k-a," Pete replied back. "Look, there's the ranger."

Pete and Myka drove over to where a man stood waiting by a large SUV, leaning against the side of the vehicle, a walky-talky in hand. Both climbed out after parking the car, and the man looked up as the pair approached. "I'm sorry folks, but the park's closed for the day."

"We have a couple of backstage passes," said Pete with a smile as he opened his credentials. "Agents Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering, Secret Service."

"Secret Service?" asked the Park Ranger, more than a little surprised. "Out here, on a body call?"

"We're cooperating with the F.B.I. on a case of mutual interest."

"Well if that don't beat all," said the ranger. "Okay then, I guess you're the two I was waiting for anyway, Lattimer and Bering."

"So is there anything unusual about the body?" started Pete.

"Well, it's definitely dehydrated and I mean dehydrated," The ranger began, "Damn near withered. That was strange, but the fact that the clothing on the body doesn't look like it spent more than a day or two out in the open really cut it for me. The way that body is, no way somebody dressed it in different clothes."

"How's that?" asked Myka.

"When I went to check the body initially I almost took a good section of the skin off."

"Whoa..." Pete commented.

"Damn right, whoa," the ranger said back. "Scared me half to death. So I called it in and kept the area clear since."

"Thank you, Ranger," nodded Pete as he pulled out his cell phone and selected the camera option. "I'll take a few pictures and email them to Agent Scully. I bet she'll find it interesting."

"Agent Scully?" asked the park ranger.

"One of the F.B.I. agents on the case," said Pete. "She's a doctor. Coroner? Both?"

"Mm mm mm," commented the ranger as he shook his head.

"We'd like to see the body if it's no trouble," remarked Myka.

The ranger nodded, "Right this way."

The two agents followed after the ranger as he disappeared down the side of the hill. Walking slowly and as carefully as possible the two hung behind the ranger as he walked on ahead of them. Up high in the skies above a chorus of loud raucous caws could be heard. Casting their eyes skyward, Pete and Myka spotted a trio of vultures circling the air lazily. Every now and again the birds glanced downwards, accompanied by a loud caw.

"Should be further down the way a piece," the ranger called out to the pair behind him, and the two nodded in reply.

Pete cast a glance Myka's way. "First the victims lose their hearts, and now they shrivel up completely? Sounds like something out of that movie, what was it called again?" Pete mused aloud.

"The Book of the Dead is back at the Warehouse, Pete."

"Yeah, but it's like Artie says...,"

"..never rule anything out." she echoed his reply.

The rest of the walk down the hill was relatively silent, save for the occasional caw of a vulture every now and again. Eventually they came upon a taped off area, and the ranger nodded at them both, and waved for them to come over.

"There it is," said the ranger, pointing towards the corpse.

Myka instinctively held her hand to her mouth, and Pete grimaced. There on the ground lay a near skeletal husk of a man. It was as the ranger had said; the clothes appeared brand new, if worn. But the man himself, he looked more akin to a scarecrow, a look of horror permanently etched upon his features.

Pete looked at the remains and shook his head. It had to be one of the strangest sights he had ever seen.

"I have seen some things working in these woods…," the ranger began. "Bodies mauled by bears, mob graves, bodies of hikers who got lost but this tops them all in weirdness. Anyway, I'll just leave you to your work, excuse me."

The park ranger walked back past the two agents and followed the trail back.

"What do you think happened here?" Pete asked.

"I don't know, but it looks like Scully is going to have another autopsy lined up for her." Myka remarked as she snapped some pictures with her camera phone.

Pete began to comment when he heard a tinny buzzing noise from inside his jacket pocket. Reaching into his coat, he extracted his Farnsworth and opened it, revealing Artie's face.

"What's up Artie?"

"Huitzilopochtli."

"Gesundheit," Pete replied dryly at Artie's remark.

Artie sighed, shaking his head. "No, no, the knife, the artifact, I believe may possess a link to this god."

Artie picked up a thick sheaf of paper and began reading from it. "Like Chatuluka's knife, this sun god was believed to possess an insatiable hunger for blood. Being people of the sun, the Aztecs fulfilled his wishes in the forms of human sacrifice, be it through the offerings of blood or human hearts."

"So we're looking for a knife?" asked Pete. "What about that zombie on the road last night?"

"There's no mention of zombies in Aztec Mythology, there was however a god named Mictlantecuhtli whose rituals involved the consumption of human flesh."

"Charming...,"

"Indeed. I still have no sound explanation as to the undead creature you encountered, but I strongly suspect it has to do with the jar, though with the possibility of an artifact having belonged to Huitzilopochtli floating around I suspect our culprit may be using both items in tandem."

"Agent Scully is working on the body of the woman who died yesterday right now."

"Have her send both reports my way upon her completion, in the mean time, watch your backs." And with that Artie turned off his Farnsworth, the screen promptly faded out to black.

"So Artie says we're looking for one of those Egyptian jars and another artifact, a knife of Aztec origin," said Pete. "That's weird."

"Still, first we were looking for an artifact from one culture, and now two?" remarked Myka.

"Well, I guess they have similarities," Pete remarked as he stroked his chin in thought. "I just never put the two together before."

Pete stood quietly, as though in intense, deep thought, the sight only unnerved his partner. "Pete...,"

"Well, now I am thinking... " Pete said slowly.

"That's what scares me, you actually attempting to think," Myka replied dryly.

"Ha-ha, Mykes, but seriously," Pete looked at her. "Two artifacts from similar but different cultures being used together? This is new territory for us. Also, Artie still doesn't have a line on the zombie."

"Then let's get a line on our victim, see if he's left us any clues."

Both turned back to the victim that lay motionless on the ground. The two exchanged glances and Pete finally broke the silence. "So should I get his wallet or do you wanna do the honors?"

Sighing Myka stepped forward. "Fine, fine I'll do it."

"No," said Pete as he put his arm in front of her. "I got it. Just keep the Tesla handy."

Myka nodded and stepped backwards, and she let her hand come to rest on the handle of the Tesla. Casting a glance in Pete's direction she nodded to him. "Go ahead."

Pete drew his SIG and walked towards the corpse. Even if it was dried out looking, Pete was not taking any chances.

"Good thing the ranger left, huh?" he said. "We'd look real silly about now."

"Just be careful," hissed Myka.

Pete made his way slowly to the body and squatted down next to it. Keeping his SIG ready, Pete gingerly began to check the pockets. He found the wallet in the back pocket of the corpse's pants. He slowly pulled it free and stood up, backing away from the body.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Myka relaxed her grip on the Tesla. She walked over to Pete as he approached her. "You find anything on him... if that is a him... or a her...," shaking her head she leaned closer to Pete, "Never mind, what have you got?"

"It's a him," Pete began after he opened the wallet. "Mark Brent."

"Does _he _have an address?"

"Of course _he _does," Pete remarked.

Myka frowned before she gave him a light swat on the arm.

"1287 Lightbreak Road, Artesia, New Mexico," said Pete with a slight grin.

"I think we should give Mr. Brent's home a closer look, what do you think?"

"Well, I think first we best make sure this corpse gets carted to Agent Scully, and then we check out this address."

"Agreed, let's go flag that ranger down before he loses his lunch."

"Lunch?" said Pete aloud.

"Why is it that when you think it's usually with your stomach first?" Myka commented dryly as they walked back up the path.

"Brain needs fuel to function," said Pete. "Food is fuel, stomach is the processor."

"I still can't believe you can think of food at a time like this." Myka swiped the back of her hand across her forehead before she rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. "In this heat no less!"

"Tell me you wouldn't mind sitting in an air-conditioned diner eating a tuna-salad sandwich right now," started Pete. "With a big glass of iced tea."

Using a hair scrunchy, Myka pulled her hair up off her neck into a quick ponytail. As much she hated to admit it the thought of a tuna-salad sandwich sounded really good right about now. Especially that part about an air-conditioned diner. "First diner we see, we'll stop and grab lunch."

"I love you," said Pete with a big smile. "Now c'mon, let's get our ranger friend and wrap up this hot, dusty business."

The pair reached the top of the hill and immediately spied the ranger. Casting a wave his way the pair approached him. "Find what you need?" he asked the pair.

"Yes," said Pete as he wrote in his notepad. "If you could arrange for the body to be bagged and transported to this hospital. Care of Agent Dana Scully."

Pete tore the paper from his notepad and handed it to the ranger.

"Sure..." The ranger replied. "Hate to be the one to cut on that thing."

Myka pulled out a business card from her back pocket which she handed to the ranger. "If you learn of anything else contact us. We're staying at the Red Wagon Motel back in Artesia."

"Yup," said the ranger as he took her card. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and extracted one of his own. "Need anything more from me, that's my number. Other one is the main station. They can get a hold of me out here."

Myka took the offered card and looked it over before she stuffed it into her pants pocket. "Thanks, we'll be in touch."

At that moment Pete spoke up. "You know of any diners close by as long we're out here? Preferably with air conditioning?"

"Yeah...if you go back out the way you came, head east on 180. When you hit 285, there's a diner called Regina's as you head back north," the ranger answered. "Great sandwiches there. Go there for dinner every night."

The pair smiled at the ranger warmly. "Sounds great," Myka nodded at her partner. "Come on Pete, we should probably call Mulder and warn him that Scully's going to be busy for another hour."

"Maybe...," said Pete. "Crusty McDustbag back there might fall apart before he gets there."

Pete received a swat to the head for his remark.

"What?"

"Grow up."

"Hey, if I had to go and fish through his pockets, he gets called Crusty McDustbag."

"You're hopeless," Myka remarked with a sigh. "Anyway I'm going to call Mulder," she stated as she pulled out her cell phone. Myka held the phone to her ear as the two walked over to their rental.

Outside the hospital, Mulder sat on a bench under a shade tree with a bottle of water. His phone sounded that he was getting a call. He extracted it from his jacket and eyed the number before picking up the call.

"Agent Mulder."

"Agent Mulder, it's Myka Bering."

"Agent Bering." Mulder replied.

"Has Agent Scully finished the autopsy on Lettie Vicente?"

"Yes," Mulder replied. "She was cleaning up a few moments ago. I expect her to join me in the courtyard any time now."

"I hate to tell you this, but it looks like she'll be another hour in autopsy," replied Myka, her voice taking on a somber tone. "Pete and I just found another body near Carlsbad Cavern National Park. I'm sending you the photos now."

Mulder took his phone from his ear and selected the speaker function. He then opened his email and checked the photos.

"I take it this is not an example of dry humor on your part?"

"No, that's the body, exactly as we found it," replied Myka.

"Adds new meaning to 'it's a dry heat'," Pete commented as he started the car.

"Anyway, someone's coming to pick up the body and we gave them specific instructions to bring it directly to your location."

"Great," said Mulder as he watched Scully walk out of the door and into the courtyard. She paused when she saw the look on his face. "She's coming towards me now. I'll fill her in."

"Okay." Myka replied quietly, hating to be the bearer of bad news. She imagined that neither one was thrilled that the good doctor would be holed up in autopsy after having only just finished up. "One more thing, Agent Mulder, what were the results of Lettie Vicente's autopsy findings?"

"I'll forward them to you when Scully fills me in."

"Alright, and could you forward the notes to Artie? He specifically requested copies of both reports."

"I will."

"There's been another one, hasn't there?" Scully remarked as Mulder hung up his phone. "I know that look, I know it all too well."

"Yeah," Mulder nodded as he handed his phone to Scully. "Body is on the way. Here are the photos Bering and Latimer took."

Scully took the cell phone from Mulder, and her eyes widened at the photographs.

"Oh my God, the level of tissue damage on this man's body is astounding," lifting her gaze from the phone she locked gazes with Mulder. "Where did they say they found him?"

"Carlsbad Park."

Scully looked back down at the images displayed on the phone's screen, still perplexed at what she was seeing. "If I had to make a hypothesis as to this man's death I'd say extreme heat, but not from exposure out in the desert. A fire perhaps, but... I don't know...,"

"Well, he's on the way."

"I'll go scrub up," she remarked as she handed Mulder back his cell phone. "You owe me big time for this, Mulder. Big."

"I know it," Mulder replied.


	7. Chapter 7

**Carlsbad, New Mexico**

**Regina's Diner**

**1:17 PM**

Roughly an hour's drive later, Pete and Myka arrived at the aforementioned diner recommended to them by the Park Ranger. This early in the afternoon the sun beat down mercilessly upon all that crossed its path. Both agents groaned as they exited their car.

"Even back in The Badlands I don't think we've seen heat like this." Commented Myka as Pete locked up the car.

"Good thing we're near an air-conditioned diner, huh?" said Pete. "We need to thank whoever came up with that suggestion. Oh, right, that was me."

Myka shook her head as she and Pete walked towards the front of the diner. "You're lucky you weren't born in the 1800's, you probably wouldn't survive five minutes in this heat. Never mind the locals."

"Or maybe I'd build a diner and ice-condition it."

"Ice-condition it?"

"Yeah, big blocks of ice," said Pete. "They didn't have air-conditioners back then."

"I know that, air conditioning wasn't invented until 1902 by Willis Haviland Carrier." Myka remarked as Pete pulled open the front doors to the diner.

"Smart phones are nice, aren't they?" said Pete as he held the diner's door open for Myka.

Myka gave his side a playful squeeze as she stepped past him, and she stuck out her tongue for added emphasis.

Pete smiled as he followed Myka inside the diner, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back. They were greeted by a waitress who escorted them to a table. She swept her gaze over Pete's form appreciatively as he settled into the booth in silent admiration of his build. Pete may have had an appetite that could rival a healthy horse, but he was certainly no slouch when it came to keeping in shape, even if he did occasionally slack off.

"Start you off with drinks?"

"I'll have lemonade if you have any," Myka remarked as she sat down.

"Iced tea," said Pete with a smile.

The waitress nodded at the pair as she jotted down notes onto a pad of paper. "One lemonade and one iced tea, sweetened or non-sweetened?" She asked as she smiled at Pete, her hazel eyes glimmering.

"Sweetened."

Jotting down a few more notes onto her pad, the waitress nodded as she looked up. "I'll have those drinks by shortly; let me know if you'll be needin' anything else. My name's Caitlin."

"Can't wait for that tea," said Pete after the waitress had walked away.

Myka nudged Pete's shin lightly as she grabbed a menu.

"What?"

"Nothing," Myka replied, completely poker-faced before she turned her attention back to her menu. Pete picked up a menu of his own, and he began to peruse it. Several seconds later he felt another light nudge to his shin.

"Okay, what?"

"What what?" Myka replied innocently.

Pete grunted and turned back to his menu.

Fighting back a grin, Myka turned back to her menu.

Having examined his menu, Pete set it down and took a look around the diner. It was a nice, clean place with cowboy memorabilia on the walls. A picture of John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn was set in the middle of a coiled lasso. Pete smiled and looked around at some of the other walls.

As he turned a bit to examine the wall behind him, he caught sight of some of the patrons at the counter. For some reason he took another look. He felt a coldness strike his skin that signaled one of his vibes at work.

Myka looked up from her menu. "They have a fish platter here that looks really good..." Myka scrunched her brow suddenly noticing her partner's stone-faced expression. "Pete?" She spoke quietly. Setting her menu down, she gently nudged his shin. "Pete what's wrong?"

"Nothing...," Pete replied slowly, turning back towards his menu. "Just a feeling..."

"Vibe?" Myka whispered.

"Yeah, a vibe," said Pete. "I don't know why. Anyway, let's focus on the food."

As Pete finished his sentence the waitress came back with their drinks. Caitlin handed Myka's lemonade over along with a straw before putting down Pete's iced tea.

"I brought a lemon wedge in case you wanted it." She said with a wink.

"Sure," Pete replied. "Lemon tea is great."

"You all ready to order?" She asked as she placed the lemon wedge on the rim of Pete's glass.

"I am," Pete spoke up, taking up his menu. He had the feeling that Myka was looking at him but he did not turn and check.

Caitlin nodded at Pete as she pulled out her pad and pen. "What can I get you darlin'?"

"I think I'll try the cheese steak sub," Pete nodded as he read the menu, "With fried onions, green peppers, salt and pepper and Old Bay. And an order of the curly fries."

The waitress smiled sweetly as she jotted down Pete's order before she turned to Myka, "And for you ma'am?"

Pete paused in sipping his iced tea and turned to look at Myka. His expression was slightly confused for a moment and then he shrugged and turned back to his drink and the menu.

"Hey, key-lime pie," Pete murmured thoughtfully before turning and looking over his shoulder again. What was it that was driving him nuts?

Myka cleared her throat and she picked up her menu, scrutinizing the available options. Between the waitress blatantly flirting with Pete, and him having a vibe she was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. She frowned as she looked at the menu, her thoughts in a blur of information.

"Have you tried our fish quesadillas? They come highly recommended."

"That sounds pretty good actually," Myka replied, she frowned before she let her eyes fall back upon her menu. "I don't know though, I'm not quite sure..." Myka chewed her lip as she pondered over the many options offered on the menu.

"Hey Mykes, they've got tuna-salad sandwiches, they even come with curly fries." Pete commented hopefully.

Myka smiled as she looked up from her menu, and promptly snapped it shut. "A tuna-salad sandwich sounds really great, so do some of those curly fries."

Turning towards the waitress she handed her back the menu. "I'll have one of those then, bread lightly toasted. Oh, can I get a double order of curly fries, one for me and my boyfriend. I always find a few missing from my plate," Myka winked knowingly at her partner before settling back into the booth.

Pete had to catch himself from choking on his iced tea and played it off well. He picked up his menu and handed it to the waitress.

"I'm a fry-aholic," said Pete. "What can I say? Better make mine a double too."

Caitlin wrote down the note of the fries on her pad. "A man should eat well."

With a small nod and a smile the waitress turned and walked away towards the kitchen.

"I missed something," Pete slowly began. "Didn't I...?"

"Would you rather I'd tell her we're newly engaged?" Myka replied innocently as she took a sip from her drink.

"Somehow I don't think she gave up the ghost though..."

Myka toyed with the straw in her drink as she cast a shy glance Pete's way. "You still didn't answer my question," she replied softly. Myka shyly ducked her head as she felt Pete's eyes upon her. "I mean not like it matters," Myka felt her face warm as she stared into her drink, her heart beating a little bit faster in its tempo.

Why did the thought of engagement suddenly serve to send butterflies fluttering about inside her stomach? She recalled vividly when she had been with Sam how they had discussed marriage, a life together, a potential future which had since crumbled. Could that be the reason why? Did she and Pete have a future together?

Pete looked at Myka, a smile slowly spreading across his features, causing his eyes to seemingly lighten. He traced a strand of hair over her ear before tracing his fingers across her jaw line. Turning her head so she faced him, Pete placed a soft kiss on Myka's lips.

As they slowly pulled away from each other and Pete was looking in her eyes, Myka caught a glimpse of the waitress frozen in her tracks, a pitcher of iced tea in her hand. She hesitated and almost turned away before she quietly swung by the table and refilled Pete's tea. She disappeared quickly without saying a word. Myka thought that perhaps that kiss got the message across better than any mere words.

"We can tell her," said Pete, not having noticed the waitress.

"Huh?" Myka whispered, still a little caught up in the moment.

"What?" Pete replied, looking confused.

"You were suggesting we tell the waitress something..." Myka replied.

"No, you did..." said Pete.

"I did, didn't I?" She replied softly, smiling embarrassedly. Myka ducked her head, and softly cleared her throat.

"Yup."

Myka lifted her head up as she felt Pete gently grasp her hand, and automatically she shifted closer to him. "You know if we really wanted to scare her off we could always discuss honeymoon spots," Myka suggested with a sheepish smirk.

Pete chuckled.

"Pondering a couple weeks off in Tahiti were we?" Myka replied teasingly.

The waitress walked up with a tray carrying their plates of food. Pete whispered in Myka's ear that even Alaska would be hot with her next to him. He then kissed her on the neck. Caitlin set the plates down with a loud clanking sound and walked away.

Both agents looked up briefly and the two locked gazes, a terse silence filling the air. The pair burst into laughter seconds later. "You're terrible," Myka remarked as she pulled away from her partner.

"No lies in what I said though," responded Pete.

Myka looked up as she took a bite out of her sandwich and she cast a glance back in Pete's direction, "About Alaska?" She asked him in between bites of her sandwich.

Pete leaned a little closer to Myka, his nose lightly brushing her ear as he spoke in a low whisper. "You, me, no artifacts, no Warehouse."

Myka turned her head slightly and she nuzzled his nose. "It's so cold though, I know you can't stand the cold or the snow," She whispered in reply.

"It was just an example," Winked Pete. "We would probably go to Puerto Rico."

Pete pulled his plate towards him and began eating his sandwich, tearing into it hungrily. Good thing that he had ordered extra curly fries.

"Back to reality," Pete began as he sipped his tea. "How do you think the guy in the park is connected to our case?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Taking a few mores bites from her sandwich, Myka reached for a sip of her lemonade. "It was definitely an artifact that killed him- that much I'm certain of."

"Do you think it's possible that the knife made him that way?" Pete asked around a mouthful of curly fries.

Nibbling on a curly fry thoughtfully, Myka pondered over Pete's hypothesis carefully. "Artie did say the knife's hunger knows no bounds, what if improperly handled it can reduce one to nothingness?"

"Then we need to figure out how to use it on the national debt," quipped Pete. "Still, I was wondering. We had the two comatose victims, right?"

"Right."

"Then we had the zombie last night, right?"

"Right."

"Then we just had the dried up corpse in the park," Pete mused.

"Right?" Myka stated her tone curious and exasperated simultaneously.

"Why such...different effects?" Pete asked as he munched on a curly fry. "Two comas, a zombie and a petrified corpse. And the two comas were both women, the two abnormal deaths were both men."

"We know how that the jars are connected to the coma patients, as was the original knife."

"Yeah but how do you explain the zombie, the petrified corpse?" replied Pete.

"Perhaps the zombie is connected to the jar; Artie did say that it could be used to control someone."

"But raise the dead?" whispered Pete.

Myka shrugged as she worked on her sandwich. "I suppose it's possible, but the only instances known to involve necromancy in Egyptian Mythology all involved The Book of the Dead." Myka held up a finger as she finished eating her sandwich. "Which is back at the Warehouse."

"Something is just off about these bodies and yet they all have to be connected."

"I think we should start by investigating the last victim's residence, see if we can turn up any clues, we should probably tell Mulder and Scully to check out Lettie Vicente's residence as well."

"You think we'll find anything?" Pete asked before he took a big bite out of his sandwich.

"Good a place as any to start; besides we haven't got much else to go on do we?"

"Not really," commented Pete. "We can call up Mulder and Scully when we leave here. Get the address for Ms. Larketta's apartment. Maybe we can check that too while we're out. Considering we jammed them up with that autopsy."

"I'll call Agent Mulder after lunch for a location," nodded Myka in approval.

The two agents finished their meals and paid the bill. Caitlin, the waitress, was a lot quieter as they left than when they had arrived. Neither agent commented as they left the diner and made their way to the car. Myka pulled out her cell phone and called up Agent Mulder. The phone rang three times.

"Mulder."

"Agent Mulder, it's Agent Bering. Does Agent Scully have anything new to report on the autopsy victims?"

"Scully is working on the newly arrived victim from Carlsbad now," started Mulder. "After that she is going to review the evidence collected from the two autopsies and the physical from Nancy Larketta."

"Me and Pete were thinking we should check out Lettie Vicente's residence as well, do you have her address available?"

"I have the address for Vicente's residence in the file; I can go there while Scully is here."

"Pete and I are going to check out Mark Brent's residence now; we'll meet up with you later at the Vicente residence."

Mulder nodded in approval. "Alright, I'll meet you both later then."

The phone call ended and shortly afterwards Myka's phone sounded off with a text message alert. The address of Mark Brent appeared and she entered it into the rental car's GPS system for later.

"Let's get out of here, you want to drive or should I?" questioned Myka.

"I got it," said Pete as he slid his sunglasses on.

After Pete started the car and Myka put in the address in the GPS, the two agents were on the road and heading for the residence of the late Mark Brent. Pete had some 70s and 80s rock music playing softly on the radio as they drove along. Myka used her phone to look up any information on Mark Brent.

"Well, he liked to travel," murmured Myka.

"Yeah?" said Pete. "Anywhere interesting?"

"Mexico."

"Cool."

"Maybe he was bringing some souvenirs from the trip..." remarked Myka with a raised eyebrow.

"Something considered more valuable than gold..."

"That is?"

"Perhaps some ancient ceremonial objects?" replied Myka. "Brent seemed to be quite interested in the Ancient Aztec society."

"Well that's interesting," nodded Pete. "Looks like he was a little too interested."

"We'll see what we turn up at his apartment," replied Myka.

"We got a little way to go yet," said Pete.

"Well at least now we have something to go on, still I don't think we'll like what we find Pete."

"We rarely do."


	8. Chapter 8

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**Mark Brent's Residence**

**3:29 PM**

It was well into mid-afternoon by the time the two agents returned to Artesia, and with rush hour coming on soon, neither relished having to undergo another hour long road trip.

"This looks like the place," remarked Myka as Pete pulled into the parking lot outside the apartment complex. "Doesn't seem like very much for a guy who travels constantly to Mexico."

"Maybe because he spent all of his money on travel and souvenirs?"

"Come on, let's go see if we can find the building super."

Unlocking her door, Myka stepped out the rental as did Pete. The two cast a glance around the area before they finally noticed a squat building set apart from the rest of the area. Nodding to each other the two made their way towards the building.

Arriving at the door, Pete pointed at a sign that read 'Manager's Office'.

"This must be the place."

Pete knocked on the door.

A scant few moments passed before the door swung open and a man in a denim shirt jacket, white t-shirt and jeans greeted the pair. "Can I help you?"

"Good afternoon sir," started Pete with a smile as he opened his credentials. "I am Agent Lattimer and my partner here is Agent Bering, we're with the Secret Service. We are here investigating one of your tenants."

"Are you here about that idiot Brent? Because if you are you can tell him he's nearly a month behind on his rent, and if he doesn't pay up, he can find his stuff on the curbside."

"I believe he has paid his due," said Pete, his expression slowly becoming grim. "He was found murdered in Carlsbad Park this morning."

If the super's expression changed, it was hardly noticeable. "I didn't think too highly of the man, but that's a shame. From what I know he had fewer friends, and more than a fair share of people around here didn't like him. He kept odd hours, played that noisy music till hours of the morning."

"Could we see his apartment please?" asked Pete.

"I'll take you to his unit," the super replied before he stepped back inside the small, cramped office.

"Charming fellow," commented Pete.

Moments later the super reappeared with a ring of keys in his hand. The super closed the door behind him and locked it up tightly before he nodded to the two agents. "Right this way."

The two agents followed the super up to the second floor of the main building. He led them both down the hall before he stopped in front of a room marked "23". Flipping through the ring of keys, the man unlocked the door and stepped off to the side.

"If you don't mind, we'll take it from here."

The super nodded begrudgingly, "Have it your way. I'll be in my office if you need anything else."

Pete and Myka watched as the super walked away before they turned back towards the door. Pete unsnapped the safety on his gun's holster, and he nodded at Myka as she kept a hand positioned near the Tesla.

Pushing open the door, the two agents stepped inside quickly.

"Whoa," said Pete softly.

Myka nodded in agreement, "No kidding,"

Nearly all over the walls were numerous sketches and photographs that depicted everything from glyphs to what appeared to be portraits of gods and deities. On another wall was a massive map of Mexico, and crudely stationed near it was a map of South America, both maps were inked in red magic marker and dotted with push-pins and lines of string, surrounded by smaller post-it notes. In the kitchen area several empty pizza boxes and bottles could be spotted.

"Kitchen is...clear…," said Pete. "Is that ever an ironic statement."

"I'll check the bedroom," replied Myka.

Myka walked towards the rear of the apartment where the bedroom was located. Directly across from it was what appeared to a small, cramped bathroom. Myka found nothing of interest inside and decided to investigate the bedroom.

In comparison to the rest of the apartment it was surprisingly neat and very well-kept. There was an equally large number of books in the room all neatly stacked along the wall, and in one corner of the room sat a desk and a computer. The bed itself was very simple, a double sized deal draped with a single coverlet and three pillows. Most unusual about this room was the fact that nearly all the walls were bare, even the windows were only covered up with a simple bed sheet as makeshift curtains.

Deciding to check the computer out, Myka made her way towards the desk and she sat down. She tapped a few keys on the keyboard and found it to be password protected. It looked like Claudia would have another job to do soon. As Myka stood up she noticed something tucked away beneath the desk, practically hidden behind a pile of books. Myka moved the books to the side and pulled out a package wrapped in paper and twine. She unwrapped it as she carefully stood up.

"Pete...I think I've got something here...,"

"What is it?" asked Pete from the kitchen.

"I'm not sure; I think it's a piece of a tablet..."

"Well, those tablet PCs aren't known for their durability," Pete commented as he used a pen to lift up a pizza box lid.

"No not a PC tablet, I mean an actual stone tablet," Myka called out as she walked towards the doorway of the bedroom.

Why not?" said Pete. "He's got everything else in here. Tab? They still sell that?"

Shaking her head Myka walked over to where her partner stood and she handed him the stone tablet, "Does that look like a can of Tab to you?"

"No, but this does," said Pete as he took the tablet fragment and handed her a crushed can of Tab. "Ok, so it's a stone tablet. Did you email pics to Claudia?"

Myka set the crushed can down on the table before she took out her phone. "Not yet, I only just found it. I found something else that will keep her busy, there's a computer, password protected."

"Then you go and prep the computer and I'll send Artie pics of the tablet."

Myka nodded, "I'll call Claudia."

Pete found a clean hand towel and placed the tablet on it. After taking a few photos with his phone, he emailed them all to Artie. A few moments later he heard the tinny buzzing of the Farnsworth in his jacket pocket. He fished it out and opened it up.

"Hey Artie."

"Pete, where did you find this tablet?"

"At the address of Mark Brent," Pete began. "We CC'd you the pictures when we sent them to Agent Scully. The guy who died in Carlsbad. Myka found it in his home office."

"I can't tell you much about it just yet, but I can say that it is Aztec in origin," said Artie. "I'll study the pictures and research it. Keep it safe. Contact you later."

The screen on the Farnsworth went black and Pete closed it and returned it to his pocket.

"Weird."

Myka reappeared from the bedroom just as Pete finished his conversation with Artie. "Hey, did you contact Artie?"

"No, I was just ordering another pizza."

Myka's brow scrunched, not certain if her partner was joking or actually being serious. With him it was hard to tell at times.

Pete wrapped the tablet up in the towel on which he had placed it. He looked around for another item to use as a layer of protection. Artie seemed to think that this tablet fragment was important.

"What are you looking for, more towels?"

Pete opened the cupboard door and jerked his thumb at the opening. "See? There's one right over...," Pete frowned as he closed as the cupboard. "...there?"

His partner only rolled her eyes as she continued to wrap up the tablet. "I believe you...the next thing you'll tell me is one's resting on my shoe..." Myka jumped as she looked down and spied a mouse nosing at her shoes.

"Time to go!" said Pete.

Picking up Myka as she held onto the tablet, Pete walked everyone back out to the car.

"Will you stop overreacting? Put me down!" Myka hissed through her teeth.

"Can you blame me for wanting to sweep a girl off her feet?" said Pete with a gentle smile.

Myka only rolled her eyes, more embarrassed by the fact that she jumped at the sight of a mouse, then again who knew what else was crawling around inside the apartment.

Pete set Myka down on her feet and checked her and himself over for any stray mice before getting back into the car.

"Meet up with Agent Mulder?"

Myka nodded. "Sure, and Pete, don't mention the mouse."

"We're partners, Myka," said Pete. "Only I ever get to tease you about the mouse."

"Thanks partner," Myka smiled.

"No problem," said Pete. "You get to choose the next music selection. Just don't pick something lame."

Myka fixed her ponytail as she leaned back in the seat "You can put on Boston for all I care, go ahead, you're driving." She replied with a smile, "Or I can always make you squirm and listen to Sarah McLachlan." she chuckled mischievously.

Pete suddenly pointed at the floor by her feet and shouted. "Mouse!"

"I'm not falling for that again."

"Okay," said Pete with a shrug. "Not my side it's on."

Myka cast a glance to the floor and found it to be mouse-less. She lifted her sunglasses for a closer look and found nothing, turning back towards her partner; Myka swatted him on the arm.

"Made you look," said Pete with a smirk as he popped in a _Van Halen_ CD.

"Just shut up and drive."

Pete drove away from Mark Brent's home and manipulated the GPS to indicate the home of Lettie Vicente. There they would meet Agent Mulder and exchange notes, as it were.


	9. Chapter 9

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**Lettie Vicente's Residence**

**5:55 PM**

Meanwhile across town, Agent Mulder was finding a similar situation at Lettie Vicente's residence. From the piles of travel books, to the maps and drawings on the wall, only they were all tied to another place: Egypt.

Pete drove the car to the address of Lettie Vicente and parked out front. He saw the rental car used by the two F.B.I. agents in the driveway. Pulling out his phone, Pete called his fellow Federal agent inside the house and let him know that they had arrived.

Pete followed Myka up the walkway and opened the front door for her. Agent Mulder looked up as he heard approaching footsteps, and he set the wrapped package down, before he turned toward the door. He nodded at Pete and Myka as they stepped inside.

"Find anything interesting?" asked Mulder.

"As a matter of fact we...did," Myka stopped speaking as she took in the sight of the apartment.

"Myka do you see what I see?" remarked Pete.

"This apartment, it's almost completely identical to that of Mark Brent's." She nodded in agreement as she approached a map that had been tacked to the wall. Myka studied the map closely and she waved her partner over. "Look at this, the notes, the push-pins, it's just like the other map we found back at Brent's apartment."

"I am getting a strong feeling of deja vu...," Pete nodded as he studied the room.

"There's something strange about this," remarked Myka as she studied the map closely. "I think there's something on the other side." Stepping back she pulled up a corner of the map, and pulled out her penlight, "Look at this, on one side it's a map of Egypt, but on the other side, South America."

"Okay, that's just weird."

"What is it?" Mulder questioned, looking from Myka to Pete.

Myka let the map drop down, "I don't know, but I think we just found ourselves a link..." Pete hushed his partner and she frowned before she looked in Mulder's direction, and she noticed he had quieted down also. From somewhere inside the apartment a rattling noise could be heard.

The front door of the house opened quietly and was closed with the same attention to noise. Footsteps could be heard, but only barely and only because the agents were attuned to possible intruders. Pete and Mulder drew their service weapons and Myka drew the Tesla.

Pete and Mulder worked out a plan, using Myka as back-up. If they could, Pete would rather not use the Tesla in a cramped house and expose the technology to the general public. Going with a three count, Pete and Mulder slipped out of the office area and into the hallway. The noises were now coming, still quite quietly, from the kitchen area.

Pete and Mulder slipped quietly through the hallway and stopped just outside the kitchen. Pete peered around the corner and saw one man working on something at the sink, his back to them. Pete nodded at Mulder and the F.B.I. agent signaled back in the affirmative. Pete turned, bringing up his weapon and aiming as Mulder slipped off to the side and brought his weapon to bear from a kneeling position.

"Federal Agents!" Mulder shouted. "Drop what you're doing and put your hands on your head! Turn around! Do it now!"

A clank was heard in the sink as the man fairly jumped. He wheeled around suddenly and froze at the sight of two men with guns pointed at him.

"F.B.I. and Secret Service," said Pete, his voice firm but not antagonistic. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"Hands where we can see them," Mulder added.

"I-I'm Roy Batteau!" the man stammered. "Lettie's boyfriend...!"

"Boyfriend?" said Pete curiously. "Where have you been?"

"I just got back," said Roy. "I'm a Merchant Mariner. Just got back today. All I wanted was to surprise her, honest! Look, I have my own key to the house."

"Slowly," said Pete. "Keys and ID. Slowly. Set them on the counter and step away."

Roy Batteau did as asked and Mulder checked his wallet for his ID. He found a driver's license and Merchant Marine identification cards. They matched his description and the names were correct.

"He has good ID," said Mulder as he set the wallet down and examined the sink. He saw a bottle of wine and a bottle opener. "You can relax your arms, Mr. Batteau."

"You better sit down too."

"What?" asked Roy. "Who are you guys? Why are you here?"

"I'm Agent Bering, this is my partner Agent Lattimer," remarked Myka as she and Pete produced their badges. "We're with the Secret Service, and this is Special Agent Mulder of the F.B.I." Before Myka had a chance to continue speaking, Roy spoke up, his expression as white as a bed sheet.

"Oh my God, has something happened to Lettie?"

"There is no easy way to put this," started Pete after he cleared his throat quietly. "Lettie Vicente died this morning..."

"She's...dead?" Roy sunk into his chair; his face was one of somber disbelief.

Myka's expression softened, clearly this was not the news that Roy Batteau had been expecting. "Mr. Batteau, I'm very sorry for your loss, but we're doing everything we can to find out what happened to Lettie."

"Do you know how she died?" asked Roy softly.

"We have reason to believe that foul play may have been involved," replied Mulder.

"Do you know of any enemies, you or Lettie may have had? Anyone that's been giving either of you trouble lately?" Myka questioned Roy softly.

"Umm...I...I can't really say," said Roy, his tone becoming more distraught. "I just got back from six months at sea. We don't really have cell phones and post offices out there. Oh my God, why did I have to take that job?"

"Were you and Lettie planning on traveling anywhere together when you came home from sea?" asked Myka, "I couldn't help noticing the map out in the den."

"Map?" said Roy, his hands covering his face. "She traveled to Egypt in college and took a liking to it. She was planning a trip there next summer."

"Then what is she doing with ancient tablet of apparent Aztec origins?" questioned Mulder as he laid down the stone tablet upon the table. Pete and Myka exchanged confused glances, but it was then that they noticed this tablet was not the same tablet they recovered earlier.

"Does she like to take her work home? Or maybe she was looking to make a little money on the side?" Remarked Mulder calmly.

"Tablet?" said Roy looking between the agents. "I don't know anything about a tablet! My girlfriend is dead, okay?"

A long lingering silence filled the room, and neither agent knew exactly what to say. What could they say, especially in a situation like this? Myka started to speak but Pete gently placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, Myka nodded, and she turned towards Mulder.

"Please excuse for a moment Mr. Batteau," the group stepped away, and left the grieving man to sit at the table.

"Thoughts?" Myka spoke up quietly.

"I say give him a few minutes to collect himself," said Pete. "Meantime, I'll send Artie pictures of this tablet."

Myka nodded and turned her attention to the map as Pete sent the pictures of the tablet to Artie. Within minutes the Farnsworth was alive and buzzing.

Pete extracted the Farnsworth from his jacket pocket and opened it, drawing a curious look from Mulder.

"Those Android phones were just too expensive," said Pete matter of factly.

The screen came on and Artie's face was seen.

"What's up Artie?"

"You found another tablet?"

"Yup," said Pete. "Well, Special Agent Mulder did, actually. At Lettie Vicente's residence."

"This was found at Lettie Vicente's residence?"

"There must be an echo in here," Mulder grunted.

Myka rolled her eyes at Mulder's snide remark and she moved to Pete's side, "Artie have you turned anything up on the other tablet? This piece, the one recovered by Agent Mulder, it bears similarities to the tablet we recovered earlier at Mark Brent's residence."

"Yes, I can see that Agent Bering," Artie commented. "All I have so far is that they relate to rituals of death. Since the tablets are not whole, it is slower going in attempting a translation. With these pictures Pete sent me, I might have more to go on."

"Artie, how many more pieces to this tablet do you think there are? Hypothetically speaking of course?" questioned Myka.

"Judging by the pictures I have here...at least two more."

Pete and Myka exchanged glances at the statement, "You don't think..." started Myka.

"You think Nancy Larketta has one of these?" asked Pete.

Myka gestured to the map behind her on the wall, "Two nearly identical apartments, both of whom whose occupants express a harbored interest in ancient civilizations?"

"So, do you think Ms. Larketta has a similar hobby?" asked Pete.

"Third time's the charm?" replied Myka.

"You have the address Artie?"

Artie nodded, "Let me check the computer's records, hold on." Setting the Farnsworth off to the side, Artie tapped at some keys on his keyboard. "According to this she has two homes, a residence there in Artesia, and a cabin owned by her family near Lake Arthur."

"That's a little egotistical, isn't it Artie?" said Pete. "Come on, Lake Arthur?"

"Pete, there really is a Lake Arthur, you'd notice if you looked at the GPS," whispered Myka.

"Like I'd pass up an opportunity like this."

"I'm so not going to read into that right now," Myka remarked with a shake of her head "Artie what are the addresses of both residences?"

Some rustling of papers was heard followed by the clicking of keys on a keyboard. After a few moments Artie came back onto the Farnsworth screen and gave the addresses to the agents.

"I'll be in touch agents, stay safe out there." And with that Artie closed the link between the two Farnsworths. Pete pocketed his Farnsworth and the group huddled together.

"So how should we do this? Split off into pairs, send one set of agents each to each residence?" asked Myka.

"Is Agent Scully done at the hospital?" asked Pete.

"Hold on," Mulder replied as he got out his phone and hit a speed dial button.

Mulder waited about half a minute before his partner picked up. "Scully."

"Hey Scully."

"I just finished up the autopsy on the second victim; you're not calling to tell me you're sending another my way are you?"

"No, I wouldn't be that cruel," said Mulder, his tone serious but tinged with his usual wit.

"Apparently the Secret Service agents and I have found Aztec tablets. One at the residence of Vicente and the other at the home of Brent. Artie seems to believe they are related to Aztec death rituals and may be pieces of a larger tablet. We are going to check out Larketta's residences and see if she has a piece as well. She has two houses and I was wondering if you would care to get out of that autopsy room and into the sunshine. I'll buy you lunch."

"The sun's almost gone down for the day Mulder; I expect a steak and lobster dinner," Scully replied in jest.

"I don't know if they have lobster in New Mexico," Mulder commented.

"Right now, anything sounds better than the coffee and julienne salad I had for lunch from the hospital cafeteria."

"I'm sure we can do better," chuckled Mulder. "I'll be by to pick you up."

"How far a drive out are we talking exactly?"

"Oh, a ways out, to use local parlance."

"No telling when we'll get back, and it'll likely be dark out, think we should wait until morning?" replied Scully, memories of the previous night coming to the forefront of her mind. The first attack had happened at night, and they were fortunate that they were all together. Still, what if they were attacked again, with no back-up at that?

"This case has us on a clock, Scully," replied Mulder. "I think it would be best if we followed this up quickly."

"You're right, so what do you suggest we do?"

"Grab us some trip food and I'll meet you out in front of the hospital in a bit."

"Sounds like a plan, least you can't say you didn't treat me to dinner under the stars." teased Scully.

"See ya Scully," said Mulder just before he hung up the phone.

"She in?" asked Pete.

"Yes," said Mulder. "I'm heading to the hospital now. We'll call you if we run into anything."

Pete and Myka nodded in agreement before they turned towards each other.

"Should we check out that cabin then?" questioned Myka, and Pete nodded.

"Be a long ride back, cabin's not too far out, besides it's not like we haven't got anything better to do."

"You go warm up the car; I'll finish things up here." She replied before she cast a nod in Roy's direction. Myka walked over to where the grieving man sat and she reached into her back pocket and extracted a card, before she then proceeded to pull out a pen.

"Mr. Batteau, I'm leaving you my card with me and my partner's number, on the back of the card is the name of the motel we're staying at, are you at all familiar with The Red Wagon Motel?" She spoke up softly.

Roy only nodded solemnly in response.

Myka finished writing on the back of the card which she held out to Roy, "If you learn anything else that might help us in our investigation, please don't hesitate to call us."

Roy accepted the card and sunk back heavily into his chair. "Thank you, I hope you find out whoever it was this that did this, Lettie didn't deserve this." He sighed sadly as he flipped the card over in his hands, had he stared any harder at it, Myka was convinced he'd burn a hole right through the paper.

"Not my Lettie, not my Lettie..." Roy choked back a sob and rested his forehead against his hands, his tears returning. Myka turned away out of respect, sensing that the man would want some time to himself. As quietly as possible she made her way out of the apartment. Myka leaned against the door and closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment. It was this part of the job that never got easy, it didn't matter how many times you did it. Straightening her stance, Myka cleared her throat and walked outside to where her partner sat waiting. She pulled open the passenger door and climbed inside.

"He say anything more about the case?" asked Pete.

Myka shook her head, "I highly doubt he's involved, that's a broken man sitting in there."

"Yeah," said Pete with a nod. "I do not envy him. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Just asking," said Pete quietly as he started the car. After inputting their new destination into the GPS, Pete headed away from Lettie Vicente's former residence and towards the cabin. Darkness was coming on as they hit the road.

"I feel like I'm at a crucial part in a bad horror movie."

"Pete, what are you talking about?"

"The guy and his girl go off to a cabin in a remote area?" said Pete. "We already have a resurgence of this Egyptian stuff and then we had a zombie and a dehydrated corpse. Things are getting strange. We need to be on our A-game, you know?"

"You're getting a vibe about this aren't you?" Myka all but deadpanned.

"Old habit from my days in the Corps.," Pete chuckled. "Talk to the guys and get them thinking, get them revved up and focused. You and I are a team, Mykes. Wherever you go, I go."

Myka smiled warmly at her partner's remark, "You promise you'll always be there?"

"Sure."

"Pete, promise me."

"Promise."


	10. Chapter 10

**Lake Arthur, New Mexico**

**Nancy Larketta's Cabin**

**6:38 PM**

Thankfully, the ride out to Lake Arthur proved to be much, much shorter than anticipated even with the evening commute out in full force. Mercifully, the sun had set, the temperature dropping at least twenty degrees. A gentle breeze carried across the lake, the long branches of a cluster of weeping willows danced lazily across the surface. With the sun setting in the distance casting a warm glow upon the lake's surface the sight could have easily belonged on a picture postcard.

"Kinda pretty," said Pete. "In a sinister kind of way."

Myka only shook her head at her partner's remark, "Look over there, is that the cabin?"

"Address matches up."

The two agents pulled up outside the cabin and parked their rental. Both climbed out and removed their shades, Pete let out a low whistle of appreciation at the sight of the structure. It was a two story cabin fashioned from pine-stained wood. It had two fireplaces from what Pete could gather and a large deck out back.

"Not at all Texas Chainsaw Massacre-y, like I pictured."

"Reminds of a cabin I stayed up in Colorado when I went on a snowmobiling trip up in the mountains," Remarked Myka, "Only the only injuries sustained on that trip were minor frostbite, and a twisted ankle on my part."

"Bad trip down the slope?"

"Slipped and fell on the balcony," Myka blushed sheepishly, "My room was on the second floor and I wanted to get up early and watch the sunrise, little did I know but the balcony had iced over during the night, I was lucky I only twisted my ankle."

"Wish I knew you back then," Pete commented. "You could have held on to me."

"They say misery loves company," Myka replied with a shake of her head.

Pete walked up the small set of stairs leading to the front door and knocked. Myka walked up and stood slightly behind and beside him. Pete waited a few moments and then knocked again. After getting no answer a second time, Pete looked through the frosted glass in the front door and tried the doorknob. It turned easily and the door opened.

The door had barely left the doorframe when Pete drew his service weapon. It could be nothing. It could just be that the remoteness of the area made people feel safer. Then again, it could be that an intruder was in the cabin.

"Hello...," Pete started. "Secret Service. Anyone home?"

Pete stepped inside slowly, Myka moving cautiously behind him.

The interior of the cabin itself was neat and clean in appearance. On one of the walls an old bleached cow skull hung, and on another wall a gun rack rested, housing antique rifles and guns. Pete spotted two dragoon revolvers, and what appeared to be a musket of all things. Atop the fireplace's mantel, a stuffed hawk rested on a tree stump, its beak open and its claws extended. The only noise that greeted their ears was the soft ticking of an old grandfather clock stationed in the main foyer.

Myka nodded at her partner, "I'll check the first floor you check the second floor?" She whispered.

"Okay," said Pete. "Sound off if you need me."

Myka nodded, before she disappeared into the direction of the kitchen, she cast a glance in the direction of the stairs as she watched Pete ascend to the second floor, his hand resting on his holster.

Pete tried the light switch at the bottom of the stairs and found that it did not work. Getting out his flashlight, he slowly ascended the stairs.

The stairs creaked loudly underfoot as Pete climbed to the second floor, and while the wood looked new, he knew that appearances could be deceiving.

From down below, Myka was searching the kitchen, Pete saw her flashlight's beam casting a faint light against the walls. If he had to guess, there was probably no power at all in the cabin itself.

Pete reached the top of the stairs and moved the beam of his flashlight along the hallway. He passed his light slowly along the doors as he moved forward. His light stopped on one that was slightly ajar. That was when he heard a thump sound from inside. Moving forward briskly but cautiously, Pete called out.

"Secret Service!" he began. "Come out with your hands up!"

A noise like someone hurriedly moving around a dark room could be heard and Pete kicked the door in. Almost instantly, he was met by a figure, his flashlight passing over it briefly before being knocked away. Pete blocked an incoming attack and responded out of instinct and training. His fist connected with the figure's face solidly and he followed with another hook, but this one to the body.

The assailant responded with a back fist across Pete's face and then a kick. Pete fell against the wall for a moment and came back, grabbing his opponent, flipping him out of the rear window and onto the upper balcony. The man picked himself up and opted to jump off the balcony. Pete picked up his service weapon and flashlight and dashed to the balcony. He caught sight of the fleeing man in his light as he picked himself up from the fall. Pistol reports broke the quiet as the man fired from down below. Pete dropped back for a moment and then returned fire. The man ran off into the darkness.

Myka stormed up the stairs, her Tesla already out, "Pete! Pete are you okay?" she called out.

"I'm fine," Pete replied as he stared over the balcony.

"What happened, I heard what sounded like a crash from downstairs, then I heard gunfire."

"Someone was here in this room," Pete started. "He attacked me when I entered, slashed at me with something. I fought him off and he jumped down from the balcony. We exchanged fire and he ran off."

Myka followed Pete out onto the balcony, "You think it was our guy?"

"Maybe?"

"There must be something he wanted, here at this cabin."

"The remaining tablet pieces?"

"We need to find those two missing pieces, Pete."

Myka cast a glance around the room carefully and she found most of the furniture was in disarray from the fight, but for the most part the rest of the room's contents appeared largely undisturbed. Myka turned back to her partner as he scanned his flashlight's beam over the room.

"You didn't happen to get a good look at the guy did you?" Myka asked Pete as she continued to search the room with him.

"A brief flash, but I think I can give enough of a description."

"Place is probably powered by an outdoor generator, if there's no fuel, no power."

"And we're going to need power."

"Put out an APB, I'm going to see about getting the generator turned on," replied Myka before she disappeared out into the hall.

She hated to admit it but they were going to need more light, if they tried searching the cabin with only their flashlights- in the night, no less- they'd waste even more time. While Pete phoned the local authorities, Myka made her way back outside.

Off in the distance, the gentle chirping of crickets could be heard, accompanied by a family of bullfrogs. She immediately spied a small wooden shack, and nearby what appeared to be a massive generator. Upon approaching the shack, she noticed that someone had sealed the shack up with a length of rusted chain. Not wanting to cut her hand open, Myka decided to try a different approach. Off to the side she saw a chopping block and close by, a hatchet. She smiled when she spied something better, a smooth flat stone. Hefting the rock up she smashed it against the chain a few times. Eventually the rusted metal crumbled and broke, allowing her entrance.

"Bingo." She smiled as she spotted a metal canister inside the shack, "Now to get that generator running." Hefting the can up, she noted its weight, and wagered that there would be just barely enough fuel to buy them an hour or so of time. She froze as she heard the soft crunch of a branch behind her, spinning on her heel, Myka swung out using the gas can.

"Myka?"

"Pete, don't sneak up on me like that, I thought you were still inside?"

"I put out the APB," Pete replied. "Then I came out here to help you. I'm not leaving you by yourself in case he is still around. We have any fuel?"

"This will buy us an hour's worth of time, did you contact Agent Mulder?"

"He's been notified of the incident, APB and description."

"Ok, for now, let's see if we can find those tablets; here, help me get the generator going."

Pete hefted the fuel can up and added the contents to the generator's fuel reservoir. Using his light to check the dial, Pete nodded. Pete tried the pull cord twice before the generator fired up with a sputter.

"Let's get on it."

The two agents made their way back inside the cabin once the power had been restored. Though the intruder was long gone, the two maintained an air of caution. The pair holstered their weapons once they reached the kitchen and flicked a switch on the wall. It was remarkably clean in comparison to the other residences they had visited earlier that day. Myka idly wondered if they had a cleaning service come in and maintain the cabin's upkeep.

"So," Myka started slowly, "I'm thinking we should start in the upstairs bedroom first? Or should we start from the bottom, and work our way up?"

"Depends on what we're talking about doing," said Pete with a smile.

"We're not newlyweds looking to christen a house if that's what you're getting at." Myka remarked with a shake of her head.

"I was talking about cleaning the place," said Pete, throwing his hands up in the air. "God, Myka. Where do you get these dirty thoughts?"

"I could name sources, but then I'd be calling the kettle black now wouldn't I?" She remarked with a mischievous wink.

"I'll start upstairs, you check the downstairs."

Myka nodded, "I'll start by checking the den."

Pete nodded before heading up the staircase and back to the scene of his brawl. The intruder was checking this room when he was surprised, so he would begin here. Pete opened the closet and pulled the small chain, turning on the light. At first glance all he saw was a lot of clothes and shoes.

"This is going to be a long day."

Down on the first floor Myka was sifting through boxes stored in a small storage closet. There were dust bunnies aplenty accompanying the boxes, and as a result she found herself sneezing quite a bit. Taking the boxes out of the storage closet, Myka sat down on the couch and placed the boxes on the coffee table and began to sort through the contents. So far, many of them contained hunting gear, and assorted knickknacks but nothing of great importance.

Having found nothing in the first box, Myka moved onto the second box, and found that this one was loaded up with fishing tackle and gear. "Seriously?" She remarked with a shake of her head.

After ascertaining there was nothing of importance in this box as well, she proceeded to open the third box. From upstairs she heard a loud crash followed by silence. "Pete? Are you alright?" Myka called out not certain if she should go check on her partner.

"Just some loose books," said Pete.

Myka shrugged and resumed her search; she froze as she realized something. "Books?" Myka closed up the third box and made her way back upstairs to where she found Pete rifling through the closet. Not wanting to disturb him she noticed a pile of books, and she walked over to them.

Picking up the books, Myka weighed them carefully in her hands before she flipped through the pages, "Pete, those loose books you found, are they in this pile here?" She asked him as she picked up another book.

"Yeah," Pete responded as he dug through a box at the back of the closet.

Myka continued to flip through the books, and found nothing of interest, that was when she picked up the third book. Its weight was unusual to say the least. Curious, she flipped the book open. "No wonder the weight on this one feels off, it's a false book." She frowned as she found the space inside the book to be empty. Setting the book down she picked up one of the other books and flipped it open and revealed an empty space as well.

"This is strange, two false books, both with nothing inside...," Myka looked up from the pages and cast a glance in her partner's direction. "Pete, where did you find these? In the closet?"

"Wasn't I supposed to be searching the upstairs?" said Pete. "Or did I hear the conversation wrong?"

"I looked downstairs; the storage closet is full of boxes, of largely fishing and hunting gear." She replied with a roll of her eyes, "Still aren't you the least bit curious? Two false books but both are empty?" She remarked as she showed him the books.

"Not really?" said Pete. "I've seen a lot of weird things during my time in government employ."

Myka sighed, "You're right, it's probably nothing, I'll go look back downstairs." Myka set the books down on the desk as she made her way back into the hall. "I'm sorry if was being a pain in the-." Myka caught herself on the doorframe as she all but stumbled out into the hall.

"You okay out there?" called Pete.

"Yeah, my heel caught on something," answered Myka. She winced slightly at the dull pain in her ankle and pushed it to the side to turn around and examine the floor. She noticed something out of place amidst the other floorboards, it could have been woodrot, but then again...

"Pete! Come over here and help me!" She called out as she looked for a way to pry up the board.

"What's up?" asked Pete as he emerged from behind the clothing.

Myka nodded at the floorboard, "That look like woodrot to you?"

"Too symmetrical...," said Pete. "Also the board isn't showing signs of rot."

Pulling a folding knife from his pocket, Pete opened it and used the blade to help pry the board up. It came up fairly easily which only deepened the agents' suspicions.

Myka shined her flashlight in the small space as Pete reached inside. His hand found something cold and flat, curious he rapped on the object, and produced a hollow metallic echo. Placing his flashlight between his teeth, Pete leaned in for a closer look.

"What is it?"

"Don't know, I think it's a lock-box, it's wedged between the floor boards." Pete replied as he reached for his folding knife again.

After working for a few moments at the problem boards, Pete freed the lock-box and brought it up out of its hiding place. Standing, Pete moved over to the bed and set it down.

"It's pretty heavy," said Pete. "Locked too, though I suppose that is obvious given that it is a LOCK-box."

Myka sat down on the bed next to Pete as he looked the lock-box over. "This is obviously what our intruder was looking for, what if the books we found earlier were a ruse to hide the key?"

"Well, do you want to search for the key," Pete began as he pulled a lock pick set from his jacket pocket. "Or...?"

Myka nodded at her partner, "Open it up."

"Then just leave it to me, the Master of Unlocking," said Pete with a smile.

Finding the appropriate tools in the pouch, Pete set to work. In a few moments, the box lid popped ajar.

"Ta-da."

Myka snapped on a pair of purple gloves, and Pete did likewise as she opened the lock-box. Within the lock-box rested an old worn drop cloth, very carefully she reached inside and pushed the drop cloth away. Her eyes widened as she found a slab of solid stone.

"Hello."

"Well, it's definitely not the new iPad...," Pete commented as he reached for his phone. "More pics for Artie. Bring it out carefully and put some light on it, please."

Very carefully, Myka reached inside the lock-box and removed the first tablet which she laid onto the bed. Reaching back inside the lock-box, she pulled out the second tablet and shined her flashlight onto the tablets while Pete snapped some pictures with his cell phone.

"Got it?"

"Yeah," said Pete as he went into his email and started sending the shots back to the Warehouse. "This is weird stuff, Myka. I wonder what Artie is going to get from all this."

The two agents sat patiently on the bed as they waited for a response from their boss, what would he turn up once he saw the two remaining tablets? More clues, or answers? The Farnsworth buzzed noisily, startling the pair from their silent reveries.

Pete flipped the device open.

"Hey Artie," said Pete. "Did you get the pictures?"

"I most certainly did," said Artie. "You found two tablets at once?"

"Yeah, they were hidden in Nancy Larketta's cabin."

"I see," Artie mused as he cleaned his glasses. "I have assembled the relevant pictures together and I am running them through a translation program as well as a general search. Good work agents. I'll get back to you when I have something more for you. Be safe."


	11. Chapter 11

**Artesia, New Mexico**

**The Red Wagon Motel**

**8:55 PM**

By the time the duo had made it back to the motel, the rain had let up, now falling in a very light mist. Local weather forecasts indicated that it was due to pick up again later, and from the way the wind was blowing, neither had a doubt in their mind that a storm was well on its way. The pair hurriedly exited from their rental as they made their way to their room. Pete carried the tablets, while Myka grabbed the food. Pete swiped a hand across his forehead as he plunked the tablets atop the bed, and shrugged off his suit jacket. He looked up upon being hit with the intoxicating smell of barbeque.

"Food," said Pete.

Myka passed him a wrapped foil package before she took out two Styrofoam containers, and a couple plastic containers which contained coleslaw. Pete wasted no time attacking his rib sandwich, and she shook her head slightly as she set out the drinks.

"Oh man, I've been seriously hungering for one of these."

"Didn't have much chance to earlier, not with this case." Myka replied as she hungrily dug into her coleslaw. "Feel like I've been running on pure adrenaline." Both looked up as they heard a knock sound outside their room. Myka wiped her hands off using a napkin before she got up to answer the door.

"Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, I'm sorry we barely had time to grab a bite." Myka started sheepishly.

"What did you get?" asked Mulder, as he held up a plastic bag with cartons of Chinese food.

"We got ribs!" Pete called out and Myka rolled her eyes before she stepped off to the side, inviting the pair into the room. "Come on in, we're going to need to bring you up to speed anyway."

"So how'd it go?"

"It's been a crazy night."

Over the course of the next hour and several cartons of food, the story of the night's adventures were told. The smell of barbeque and Chinese food mixed with tales of intrigue and excitement. Beds became tables for food and stages for tales from the day's events.

"The place we checked did look ransacked, but we didn't see anyone," said Scully. "So you found the last two tablets and possibly found the killer."

"Possibly," said Pete with a nod. "I wish we could have stopped him there."

"Well, it's a good break at any rate," Mulder commented. "We now have the four tablets. Anything from Artie?"

Myka shook her head, "Nothing new yet, he's still researching the tablets..." The group looked up as a familiar tinny buzzing noise filled the air, and Pete stood up, moving towards the direction of the bed where he had laid his suit jacket. Digging through the pockets he eventually found the Farnsworth.

"Hey Artie," said Pete as their boss' image came through the display.

"You look like you've been through the wringer..." Artie started. "What happened to you?"

"I think it was the peppers in the General Tso's," quipped Pete.

"Peppers in the General?" Artie shook his head. "Forget it; I think I finally found out some more information on those stone tablets you recovered. The details are sketchy and compiled from fragmented notes, but what I have been able to uncover is that the four stone tablets are most certainly linked to one another."

"We figured that," muttered Mulder.

Pete coughed, "How are they linked, Artie?"

"That's just it, I have no idea how they're linked." At Pete's irritated sigh Artie spoke up again, "I mean I can't explain it, I've tried rotating the pieces and lining them up in different formations but they all produce a different series of entries. It's like it's part of a larger incantation but the results are innumerable."

"What about the holes in the tablets?" asked Pete. "Each one has one. Why?"

Artie adjusted his glasses as he turned towards his computer screen before he turned back towards the Farnsworth. "Based on the size and shape of each hole I'd say they're intentional, the shapes are far too perfect, but as for their true purpose?" Artie shrugged. "Some sort of Rosetta Stone, it's difficult to say based on the loose fragments of information I managed to dig up on the stone tablets themselves."

"Can we do a computer model based off the holes?" asked Pete. "Run the shapes through various configurations and see what we get?"

"I have the Warehouse's computers working on it right now; it's at about 28% completion running through all possible variables." Artie replied, "And it just hit 29%. Claudia already has it set up to email you the results when the program finishes analyzing all the variables, though at the rate it's going there's no telling when that will be." He added dryly.

"Has H.G. attempted to make contact yet or no?"

"Take it Mrs. Frederic has been on your back about it again?" replied Pete.

Artie chuckled wryly, before his expression suddenly turned serious, "Of course she has! What do you think! It's not every day we have someone suddenly escape their containment from the Bronze Section!" Artie sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"So, anything?" He asked again, his tone tired.

"No," said Pete, as he looked at Myka. "Nothing from H.G. We'll call you back if we find anything new."

"Okay," Artie nodded tiredly. "Be safe, agents."

Pete nodded and then turned off the Farnsworth, closing it and putting it away.

"Artie must have really gotten grilled by the higher ups." Myka commented quietly.

"Yup," Pete replied, his tone equally quiet.

"Who is this H.G. that he keeps asking about?" questioned Mulder.

The two Warehouse Agents exchanged glances, not sure how exactly they would go about explaining such a thing to the two F.B.I. agents. Myka bit her lip, soundlessly drumming her fingers on the mattress. "She's a rogue agent, we can only tell you that much."

"Well, why don't we just relax a bit and wait and see what the computer comes up with for us, huh?" said Pete as he handed out fresh bottles of water and tea.

Myka nodded, gratefully accepting a bottle of iced green tea. She yawned as she leaned back against the headboard, her eyelids feeling heavy. It had been a long day. To say that the two F.B.I. agents didn't look as equally weary would be an understatement.

The four agents talked for another half an hour and then Pete checked his phone. Seeing no new emails he put the phone aside again. Myka was slowly falling asleep next to him and Pete had to admit that he needed to rest as well. He looked at Mulder and the F.B.I. agent nodded.

"C'mon Scully," Mulder began. "Let's break up the party for tonight and get some sleep."

Scully stirred slightly and rose from her chair, and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Do I even want to know what time it is?" She asked him, her voice thick with sleepiness.

"I doubt it," said Mulder with a slight smirk. "Come on, baby doll. Let me take you to bed."

Scully shook her head as Mulder draped an arm loosely around her shoulders as they walked to the door. The two sets of agents exchanged goodnights before they finally parted ways.

Myka nearly snapped awake as she heard the door shut, "What? I'm up, I'm up!" She remarked as she sat up straight.

"Everyone is turning in for the night, Myka," chuckled Pete. "That was just Mulder and Scully leaving for their room."

Sighing, Myka fell back against the bed, not even daring to look at the alarm clock. "I'm too tired to even change."

"Is that a hint that I should pull your clothes off?" asked Pete.

"Be grateful I don't ask for a foot massage." Myka replied with a wry chuckle as she smacked him with a pillow.

Pete moved onto the bed and lay next to Myka. He leaned back for a moment to turn off the lamp.

"I'll massage you tomorrow while we shower."

Myka shifted closer to Pete, and she snuggled into his arms, her head coming to rest against his chest. "In that case I say we burrow under the blankets for now."

Outside, the rain picked up again creating a slow, steady drumming sound against the roof and window. Pete softly nuzzled Myka's hair before he drifted off to sleep.

"Pete?" Myka lifted her head up and sighed as she heard her partner snoring softly. Shaking her head, Myka closed her eyes and soon found herself joining him in sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The rain continued to beat its steady rhythm on the roof above as it had for a few hours now. A calming sound and yet, for some reason, Pete opened his eyes, wide awake. Wide awake and with a cold feeling on the back of his neck.

"MYKA!" Pete shouted as he shoved her away from him, sending her off the other side of the bed, barely having the time to raise his hands to grapple with a dark intruder. He saw the shape of a man wielding what appeared to be a knife. A knife only a few inches away from his face. Pete drove a knee into the man's side as he twisted, attempting to gain a better position. The man grunted and shifted his focus for a moment. Pete jumped away and snatched his gun up from the nightstand. He shot out a kick, catching the lunging intruder off-guard.

Myka shook the cobwebs from her head as she stood up, her hand flew to the nightstand and she quickly grasped hold of the Tesla, aiming it at the intruder.

Pete cell phone began to buzz on the nightstand, its glowing screen oddly comical given the situation. The intruder turned for a brief moment and Pete ran full steam into him. They collided and the momentum carried them through the room's door and out into the parking lot. When they landed, the man flipped Pete off of him and stood, heading back towards the room. A bullet smashed through his right shoulder.

The man did not flinch. A flash of lightning bathed the area in light for but a moment.

Myka dropped the Tesla, deciding to reach for her SIG instead. Raising the weapon, she took aim and fired before the man charged back into the room. From outside a loud crash could be heard followed by gunfire. Pete saw a flash of light from within the room and then darkness.

"Myka?" Pete called. "Myka!"

A door opened and Mulder and Scully came running through the rain with weapons drawn.

"What's going on?" asked Scully.

"He's here," said Pete.

Pete walked into the darkness of the hotel room, mysterious murderer be damned. If either he or Myka were to die, they were to do it together. Not separately. Not like this.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room, catching something shiny, no glossy? The attacker knelt over Myka, the object in his hand. Groggily she opened her eyes, and gasped in shock as she realized what it was her attacker was holding; a knife. The knife. "PETE!" She called out as she drove a knee into the man's stomach, just barely dodging to the side as he struck the floor with the blade.

Pete stepped through the doorway, the flash of lightning coming through the window at the last moment. Pete aimed his sidearm and fired twice more at the attacker, striking him both times. The man rose, pulling his knife from the floor. Pete fired a third time, catching the man in his right arm. The attacker's knife dropped from his hand and onto the bed. Pete saw a wince of pain pass on the man's face as the lightning flashed again. The attacker immediately went for the knife and picked it up again. His body seemed to straighten, devoid of pain or injury.

"It's the knife, Myka!" Pete yelled. "We have to get the knife!"

The sound of a car engine revving up could be heard from outside drawing the group's attention. Growling angrily the man charged out into the rain only to be blinded head on by twin beams of light. The man stumbled, unable to see, from out of nowhere he was tackled to the ground by Agent Mulder. "Pete!" He yelled out over the rain, "Give me a hand here!"

Pete came running up, delivering a solid stomp kick to the back of the downed intruder's head. He then dropped down and helped Mulder restrain the man.

Myka ran outside, already snapping on a pair of purple latex gloves, a silver canister under one arm. "Pete, quick give me the knife!" She remarked as she tore off the canister's lid before she tossed him a glove.

Mulder helped hold the man down while Pete attempted to pry the knife from the man's hand but his grip was like a vise. Finally, Pete brought the butt of his pistol down on the man's wrist and the knife dropped away from the man's open hand. Pete knocked the knife over towards Myka using his pistol.

Picking up the knife Myka quickly dropped it into the bucket of neutralizer. Not a single spark came out of the canister, in fact...she grimaced as she noticed the color of the neutralizer.

"Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick..." She remarked, her stomach suddenly feeling queasy.

"My phone!" said Pete. "Myka, get my phone! It buzzed during the fight, maybe Artie found something!"

"The knife!" growled the man as he struggled against Pete and Mulder. It was only now that Pete noticed the intruder had a milky look to his eyes.

Myka nodded as she hurriedly scrambled to her feet before she rushed back inside the room. A weak buzzing noise grabbed her attention and she scooped up Pete's phone and clicked it on. "Now why didn't I think of that?" She muttered as she dropped the phone before she hurriedly moved about the room in a frantic search for the stone tablets. Lugging the stone tablets out, Myka set them into place, her heart pounding like a drum.

"PETE! THE KNIFE! BRING ME THE KNIFE!" She yelled out.

Pete tossed the purple glove Myka had given him earlier to Scully. "Put that on and pick up the knife. Do not use your bare hand!"

Scully scrambled towards the pair and picked up the glove before she eyed the knife. "What'll happen if I do?"

"You end up like this guy," said Pete.

"Just do it Scully!" Mulder shouted as he fought to keep the man at bay.

Nodding, Scully hurriedly pulled on the glove before she grabbed the knife; she raised an eyebrow at its bloodied appearance but said nothing and ran in the direction of the hotel room where Myka was waiting. The female Warehouse Agent looked up as Scully charged into the room, her forehead covered in beads of sweat.

"Where's Pete?" She asked her as she looked up. It was then that Myka noticed the knife in Scully's hand. "The knife! Quick- bring it over here!" She called out as she made room.

Scully frowned as she passed her the knife, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Myka nodded, "Artie texted Pete during the attack, he believes that the spaces in the stone tablets is where Chatuluka's knife goes, and if we put it back where it belongs, it should hopefully neutralize the artifacts."

"And if it doesn't?"

Myka said nothing and held out her hand, Scully passed the knife to Myka and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she grasped the blade's handle. "I hope you were right Artie." She whispered before she drove the blade into the space. From outside a brilliant flash light spilled out of the room and out into the parking lot in a dazzling display. The attacker gasped sharply, his body contorting before he collapsed onto his back, completely winded.

"What the Hell was that?" asked Mulder after a few moments.

"That was hopefully the end of this," Pete said, his voice ragged with fatigue. "Myka?"

At first no response was given, save for the lonely howl of the wind, accompanied by the now soft patter of rain.

"Damn it Myka!" Pete fairly shouted. "Answer me!"

"Did it work?" Myka questioned her partner breathlessly as she emerged from the room, with Scully at her side. Mulder breathed a sigh of relief as he held a hand to his forehead, and Myka frowned, "Well did it?"

Pete noticed then that the man was no longer struggling. In fact, he was not even breathing. Checking for a pulse, Pete found none. He looked at Mulder and the two men stood up slowly. The body of the intruder began to erode almost as they stepped away. It cracked and turned into dust which was then wet and washed away by the rain.

Myka gasped in shock, as did Scully. "Oh God, he's gone? But the artifacts..." She felt numb all over. Had they failed?

The Farnsworth began to buzz from inside the room. The group looked up at the sound, before making their way back to the room. Myka searched the room blindly until she located the Farnsworth. With shaky hands she sat down on the edge of the bed, Pete joining her. Gently, Pete took the device from her hands and flipped it open and turned the device on.

"Yeah Artie, we're here."

"I just detected a massive energy spike in your location, and now suddenly it's gone, what happened over there?" He questioned the pair, his voice frantic.

"It's over..." said Pete, his tone heavy, even as a weight seemingly melted off of his shoulders.

"The artifacts have been neutralized?"

"Do we have a container big enough?" Pete asked Myka.

Myka nodded, "We should, but the jar is still missing! If we don't find it, then Lettie Vicente is going to be a human vegetable the rest of her days."

"He had to drive here," said Mulder. "C'mon Scully. Let's go look for his car."

"Pete, Myka, assist them with finding the jar, the stone tablets can wait, there's no telling how much time that young woman has the longer she's exposed to the cursed jar, hurry!" Artie beckoned the two agents.

"Right," said Pete, closing the Farnsworth. "C'mon Myka. We have one last thing to do."

The two hurriedly rose to their feet before they made their way back out into the parking lot. A short distance away they spied Agents Mulder and Scully. Myka tossed Mulder a pair of gloves as she took out her flashlight, "Here, put these on, trust me you'll thank me later."

Mulder studied the gloves curiously and pulled them on without a second thought.

"So, any idea where this guy parked?" He asked as he chanced a glance around the parking lot.

"No clue, though I have a feeling we might be looking for a 4x4." Myka remarked as she began to make her way out of the parking lot.

Pete raised an eyebrow and then turned towards the pile of dust where the intruder had been. After a moment of thought he walked over and used the toe of his shoe to poke around. He nudged up a set of car keys near where the left pants pocket would have been. Picking them up and cleaning them off, he used the remote and pressed the Locater button. Across the street, behind some trees, Pete suddenly saw a flash of light. He hit the button again and got the same result.

"Guys," said Pete. "We're in business..."

The group trudged off in the direction from which the light had emanated from. Sure enough hidden by a cluster of trees was a beaten up 4x4 that had looked as though it had seen better days; the tires were caked through and through with mud, as was the rest of the vehicle's outer shell. Mulder and Scully searched the cab while Pete and Myka searched the bed of the 4x4.

At first it looked relatively mundane, a set of tires, and an old metal cooler sat in the bed. But in another corner, Pete spied an old metal tool box, practically hidden beneath a pile of rags. Breaking the lock open he found two objects, heavily swaddled in cloth. One of them was intact, and another was shattered, nearly in pieces. Pete carefully unwrapped one of the swaddles and found a completely intact canopic jar, the lid in the shape of a jackal. Myka unwrapped the other swaddle and revealed a similar jar, though the lid was slightly different in design as though this jackal was meant to symbolize a queen.

"Anubis, and Anput, rulers of the Underworld," Remarked Myka. "Anput was once bestowed the title the dark mother, ironically she was considered a goddess of protection."

"Hey, thanks Doctor Jackson," said Pete. "How about we bag and tag these things?"

"Agreed, I just hope we're not too late." Myka replied.

"We got 'em," said Pete, getting Mulder and Scully's attention.

The agents headed back to the hotel across the street and into the room that Pete and Myka had occupied. Pete and Myka set up the process for neutralizing the objects.

The pair placed the jars into the canister, a spark of purple energy escaped the minute they made contact. Carefully sealing up the container, Myka pulled off her gloves, "Now we just need to pray that it works, I can only imagine how you'll explain this to your people." Myka remarked as she turned towards Mulder and Scully.

"Oh...we'll come up with something," Mulder remarked, a slight tone of coyness in his voice. Scully just smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Badlands, South Dakota**

**Leena's Bed & Breakfast**

**9:00 AM**

The next morning, both sets of agents departed for the airport, and booked a flight home, the pairs exchanging their goodbyes at the airport as they went about their separate ways to their separate lives. Exhausted from the night before, Pete and Myka slept the entire flight back, physically and mentally burned out. By the time both awoke, they climbed off the plane and were pleased to be greeted by marginally cooler temperatures. After securing their baggage and the artifacts, both made their way outside and to the parking garage where their SUV awaited them.

"Finally!" Pete exclaimed as he climbed inside the driver's seat and Myka joined him, climbing in the passenger seat. "I can't wait to get back; I've missed Leena's cooking." He remarked as he put the vehicle in drive and pulled out of the parking garage.

"Yeah right, next week you'll be asking for ribs and barbeque." Chuckled Myka.

"Alright, alright so maybe I will miss the Southern hospitality."

"And the weather?" questioned Myka.

"Not so much."

An hour's drive later, the pair found themselves back at the Warehouse. Per Artie's discretion he specifically asked that both agents bring the artifacts back before returning to the B&B. Already he had been talking of setting a place aside in the Dark Vault especially for the stone tablets and accompanying knife. Pete parked the SUV outside the Warehouse upon arrival and sighed as he put the vehicle in park, immediately spying two vultures.

"Why does it feel like we never left New Mexico?"

Myka shook her head and patted him on the arm. "It's just you, come on, Artie's waiting."

"Right."

The two agents exited the vehicle and walked around to the rear hatch. Pete picked up the tablets and knife combo-artifact and Myka got the jars. They walked into the Warehouse and were immediately greeted by Claudia. Artie came up to them a moment later.

"To the Dark Vault, agents!"

"Is it just me or does it seem like Pete got stuck with the hard labor?" Claudia commented as he precariously balanced the large case under his arm.

"No..." said Pete quietly. "I'm...good...it's cool."

"Been working hard?" teased Claudia.

"Oh ha ha, you wanna carry this?" He remarked wryly.

"Agents!" Artie called out and the pair hurriedly increased their pace. It wasn't long before they found Artie and Myka standing outside the entrance to the Dark Vault. Artie punched in a code, unlocked the door and stepped inside, the three trailing behind him.

"This is the Dark Vault? It seems different from the last time we were in here..." Remarked Myka as he led the pair to a section that housed artifacts of an ancient origin.

"This area is specifically devoted to ancient historical pieces." Artie remarked as he took the jars from Myka before he set them into place and secured them. "The section you and Pete were in was an area devoted to more recent historical pieces."

He gestured for Pete to step forward and placed the case onto a table. Very carefully, after donning a pair of purple gloves, Pete removed the stone tablets and placed them onto a stone table, a smaller section had been set aside specifically for the knife. After setting the artifacts into place, Artie set the neutralization field into effect, bathing the objects in a purple light.

"Whew! That's a weight off my shoulders!" Pete remarked as he pulled off the gloves.

"Indeed." Artie remarked wryly as they exited from the Dark Vault.

"So it is safe to keep the knife near the tablets? I mean considering what you told us..." started Myka, and Artie nodded.

"As long as they're separate from one another, they're fine, only if the knife had been improperly inserted, then we'd be in real trouble."

"If we had set the tablets in a page format, with each tablet correctly placed, and placed the knife in the center...," started Artie. "Well, it would have been bad. We got lucky on this one agents. Very lucky. Our work on this case was poor indeed."

Closing the Vault, Artie made sure it was secure before he and the agents walked away. He then spoke again.

"You two did well out in the field, but we need to be better." said Artie as he removed his glasses and cleaned them. "That is why, starting tonight, we will have a weekly 'round table' discussion on different periods of history and cultures. Once a week, after dinner, we will sit and expand our minds. We will learn about different cultures and artifacts so that, one day; we may be better prepared for events like this."

"Oh God, and just when I thought I was finished with History 101, dude you're a walking history lesson." Claudia remarked dryly.

"Enough," said Artie, putting up a hand towards Claudia. "This is happening. Accept it and like it. Now, go away. Get some rest and I'll update the catalogue to include our latest acquisitions. Come on, chop-chop."

"Thank God!" Pete all but crowed as he put an arm around Myka's shoulders and one around Claudia's, leading both women away. "Come on gals, I've got a great introduction to Egyptology, it's called Stargate: SG-1, with Colonel Jack O'Neill as your professor!"

"Pete that's a TV show." Myka remarked pointedly.

"So we can have fun while we learn," said Pete. "It's gotta be better than Artie and his history lectures."

"Only if we watch it on your flat screen- then we have a deal." Claudia piped in.

"Only if you supply the popcorn." Pete replied and Claudia nodded eagerly.

"Awesome! Hey you guys don't think there's a star-"

"Pete, don't even think it." warned Myka.

"Okay," said Pete with a wink. "I'll just think about you instead."

"Whoa! Easy lovebirds," said Claudia. "Keep it cool until after we watch the show, okay?"

"Okay, Claudia, okay," laughed Pete. "If you also bring the sodas."

"Fine! Anything!" Claudia said. "Let's just go. Chop-chop!"

**Washington, D.C. **

**F.B.I. Headquarters **

**11:45 AM **

Mulder pushed open the door to the basement office of his division, the X-Files. Scully looked up from her desk.

"How did it go?"

"Oh, Skinner said it was a shining example of why the Bureau maintains the X-Files office," Mulder replied as he tapped the file folder he held.

"That well, huh?" Scully commented.

"Yeah," Mulder replied as he walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out a drawer. He sorted through a few files before finding the right place. He slipped the file inside of a folder.

"Want to go out for lunch?" asked Scully. "Been in here all day. I think we could use some cool D.C. air."

"Sure Scully," said Mulder as he slowly pushed the file drawer closed until it clicked.

**THE END**


End file.
